In the words of the great Noddy Holder, IT’S CHRISTMAS!

Have a look at the huge list of local Christmas events and activities in this month’s Spotlight section. You would have to be a real Ebenezer Scrooge not to recognise that the true spirit of Christmas is alive and well within our borough, as most of these are run by people in our local community, often along with ourselves, for the community to enjoy…

Eat, drink and be merry is the embodiment of the season. However, what you eat and drink may make you distinctly unwell. The team in Environmental Health have come up with some ideas in the Key Facts section to steer you towards full festive merriment!

We also include a full round-up of Council and community news including Council service operating times over the Christmas/New Year period.

The Borough Insight team (it’s a very small team) wish you a very happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

ps: don’t forget that the Council are providing free car parking in our shopper’s car parks on all Sundays in December.

pps: festive congratulations to the winner of the e-borough Insight prize draw for tickets to the Epsom Playhouse panto – all new subscribers were entered and the winner has now been notified - oh, yes they have! (Sorry, couldn’t resist)!

New refuse and recycling collection days for some households

Council accepts Government multi-year settlement… with ‘great reluctance’

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council has written to Greg Clarke MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, reluctantly accepting a proposed multi-year financial settlement which details the money the Council will receive from the Government up to April 2020.

Currently the Revenue Support Grant (RSG), the money councils receive from central Government for the year ahead, is revealed a couple of months before the start of the financial year. As part of the December 2015 spending review, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government made an offer to councils to take up a four-year funding settlement for the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020. In order to accept this offer, councils had to respond last month.

The multi-year settlement is intended to provide funding certainty and stability for local authorities; enabling more proactive planning of service delivery and to support collaboration with partners. However, for several councils this year’s provisional RSG announcement came as an unwelcome surprise. The reduction in RSG is much deeper and faster, and fifteen councils across England, including Epsom & Ewell Borough Council (EEBC) will lose all their RSG over two years not four, in 2018/2019 EEBC will receive no RSG at all. To make the financial situation worse the Government has decided that in 2019/2020 EEBC is required to pay back £620K to them.

Councillor Eber Kington, Chairman of the Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee, comments: “It is unfair and unreasonable of the Government to say that, in 2019/2020 EEBC will have to pay them £620K. That is the equivalent of Epsom and Ewell residents paying an 11.5% increase in the Council Tax to pay for services elsewhere in the country. 

“However, we have to either accept the four-year deal as it is and with certainty about the exact level of our future funding, or take a chance with annual pronouncements of grant funding that could be worse should the economy falter or the Government determines that it needs to take more from local authorities unprotected by that four-year deal.  

“And with that threat of further reduced funding we felt we had little choice but to accept. But acceptance does not mean that we agree with the Government’s offer and we will continue to argue for a revised final year settlement”.

In order to meet the financial challenges over the four-year term, this Council will continue to reconfigure its services and charges, reduce operating costs and look at ways to generate greater income.

Council agree to freeze three quarters of car park tariffs

The Council’s Environment Committee has agreed the recommendation of a Parking Working Group to freeze the majority of Council owned car park charges within the Borough next year.

Within Epsom, the Parking Working Group recommended fees to promote Hook Road as a long term stay car park, Upper High Street and Depot Road as long to medium term parking options, Ashley Centre as a medium to short term car park and Town Hall and Hope Lodge as short term stay car parks.

Within Ewell the Council strategy is for the car parks to be used by those using local facilities (shops, dining, etc) and discourage long term London commuter parking.

Councillor John Beckett, Chairman of the Environment Committee said:

“Parking charges are an important source of revenue for the Council, keeping household Council tax in Epsom & Ewell one of the lowest in Surrey. Establishing a balance between the needs of shoppers, local businesses and our revenue can be contentious. The Parking Working Group, consisting of a cross-party group of Councillors from across the Borough, consulted widely before making their recommendations. 

“While only 24 of the 103 tariffs currently charged will increase, I know this will still not be a popular move. However car parks don't run themselves and are expensive to maintain. In the last five financial years, the Council has reinvested an average of 66% of the income from our car parks back into those car parks. This on-going expenditure is crucial to the continual running of the car park service. We must invest in essential repairs and remedial works which allows our residents and visitors to the borough the ability to be able to park and enjoy the time they are here.

“I also need to emphasise that all the profits the Council receives from our car parks go directly to fund front-line services, including to the vulnerable in our community, which we would otherwise not be able to deliver”.

Council venue finalist for community excellence

The Epsom Playhouse was one of the finalists in the Epsom & Ewell Business Excellence Awards in the category Best Business for Commitment to the Community. Congratulations to award winner, Mary Zoeller Associates. The other finalist was GES Clean. 

The awards were announced by the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP at a ceremony on 17 November at the University for the Creative Arts.

Independent from the Council, the Epsom & Ewell Business Excellence Awards, now in its sixth year, seek to identify and celebrate the best traders and service providers in the Borough. The category Best Business for Commitment to the Community recognises companies that are investing in the community in which they operate and those in greatest need, achieving sustainable impact on key social issues in these areas.

The Epsom Playhouse hosts a wide range of charity and community events, shows and award evenings. Local community groups, including choirs, orchestras, amateur dramatic groups, dance ensembles and schools all benefit from special community rates and services as part of the Playhouses’ dedication to the local community.

Stewards at the Playhouse are all local volunteers, the longest serving steward has been volunteering at the Playhouse for over 30 years. The Epsom Playhouse, managed by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council with considerable input from local volunteers, is the epitome of the community serving the community.

The Epsom & Ewell Business Excellence Awards, Best Business for Commitment to the Community category is sponsored by TWM Solicitors.

For more information on Epsom Playhouse visit www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk

For more information on the Epsom & Ewell Business Awards visit http://epsombusinessawards.co.uk/

Community service recognised

Councillor Michael Arthur MBE has been made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Epsom & Ewell, the greatest honour the Council can bestow.

Michael Arthur was first elected as a Councillor in 1966 and for 50 unbroken years has served the community both within the Council and representing the Council on outside bodies. He served as Mayor in 1981/82 and has since served as Deputy Mayor three times. In 2013 Councillor Arthur was made a Member of the Excellent Order of the British Empire, also in recognition of his community service.

Michael Arthur becomes only the 17^th person to have been conferred with this honour in the history of the borough.

The conferment of the title of Honorary Freeman of the Borough was bestowed in a ceremony at Bourne Hall on Friday 28 October.

At the same ceremony former Councillors Jean Smith and Nigel Pavey were conferred the title of Honorary Alderman of the Borough  

The names of Councillor Michael Arthur, Jean Smith and Nigel Pavey have now been added to the appropriate rolls of honour in the Council chamber.

Christmas 2016 and New Year 2017 refuse and recycling collections

There will be no garden waste or leaf collections during Christmas or New Year's weeks (weeks commencing Monday 26 December 2016 and Monday 2 January 2017). All other refuse and recycling collections will take place as follows:

Christmas 2016 week:

 New Year's 2017 week:

Look out for your new collections calendar and Christmas bin labels, or visit our website to check your collection day - www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk 

Council services over Christmas and the New Year

The majority of Council services will operate as normal over the festive period but there are some changes, to take into account Bank Holidays and to ensure we provide best value for the taxpayer.

In emergencies, the Council can be contacted on 01372 732000 - this service operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Ashley Road cemetery

The cemetery will be open as normal for visitors over the Christmas/New Year period.

Bourne Hall

Saturday 24 December; open (restricted hours tbc)

Sunday 25 December; closed

Monday 26 December; closed as normal

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; open (restricted hours tbc)

Thursday 29 December; open (restricted hours tbc)

Friday 30 December; open (restricted hours tbc)

Saturday 31 December; open (restricted hours tbc)

Sunday 1 January; closed

Monday 2 January; closed as normal

From Tuesday 3 January; normal opening hours.
 

Community Alarm

Monitoring Centre operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.

Administration, enquiries and repair service:

Saturday 24 December; closed as normal

Sunday 25 December; closed as normal

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; open as normal

Thursday 29 December; closed

Friday 30 December; closed

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; closed as normal

Monday 2 January; closed

From Tuesday 3 January; normal opening hours.

Ebbisham Centre

Saturday 24 December; open 7.45am - 5pm

Sunday 25 December; closed

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; open as normal

Thursday 29 December; open as normal

Friday 30 December; open as normal

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; open 7.45am - 5pm

From Monday 2 January; normal opening hours.

Harrier centre

The Harrier Centre will be open as normal on Friday 23 December and be closed from Saturday 24 December until Tuesday 3 January when it will be open as normal.

Longmead Centre

Saturday 24 December; closed as normal

Sunday 25 December; closed as normal

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; open 9am - 4pm

Thursday 29 December; open 9am - 4pm

Friday 30 December; open 9am - 4pm

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; closed as normal

Monday 2 January; closed

Tuesday 3 January; normal opening hours.
 

Markets

The Farmers Market, that normally takes place on the first Sunday of the month will not be operating on 1 January.
 

Meals on Wheels

Saturday 24 December; closed as normal

Sunday 25 December; closed as normal

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; hot meals delivered as normal

Thursday 29 December; hot meals delivered as normal

Friday 30 December; hot meals delivered as normal

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; closed as normal

Monday 2 January; closed

From Tuesday 3 January; normal operating hours.

Note: Frozen meals can be provided in advance for when hot meal deliveries do not take place - these need to be booked in advance.

Nature reserves

Local nature reserves operate normal opening hours across the festive period. However some facilities (including public conveniences were present) may be closed on the Bank Holidays.

Parks

Parks are open as normal across the festive period.

Routecall

Saturday 24 December; not operating

Sunday 25 December; not operating

Monday 26 December; not operating

Tuesday 27 December; not operating

Wednesday 28 December; operating as normal

Thursday 29 December; not operating

Friday 30 December; not operating

Saturday 31 December; not operating

Sunday 1 January; not operating

Monday 2 January; not operating

From Tuesday 3 January; normal operating hours.

Rubbish and Recycling collections

Changes to the normal collection times over the Christmas and New Year period are highlighted elsewhere in this e-newsletter.

Shopping service

Last Deliveries 23 December & 30 December.

Normal deliveries resume on Tuesday 3 January.

Telecare

Monitoring Centre operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year.

Administration, enquiries and repair service - see Town Hall.

Town Hall

Saturday 24 December; closed as normal

Sunday 25 December; closed as normal

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; closed

Thursday 29 December; open as normal

Friday 30 December; open as normal

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; closed as normal

Monday 2 January; closed

From Tuesday 3 January; normal operating hours.

Wellbeing Centre

Saturday 24 December; closed as normal

Sunday 25 December; closed as normal

Monday 26 December; closed

Tuesday 27 December; closed

Wednesday 28 December; open 9am - 2pm

Thursday 29 December; open 9am - 2pm

Friday 30 December; open 9am - 2pm

Saturday 31 December; closed as normal

Sunday 1 January; closed as normal

Monday 2 January; closed

Tuesday 3 January: open 9am - 2pm

From Wednesday 4 January; normal operating hours

Free! Real Christmas tree recycling

After Christmas we will operate a free real Christmas tree recycling collection for all residents.

Real Christmas tree recycling collections will take place on your normal rubbish collection days on either weeks commencing Monday 9/23 January 2017, or weeks commencing Monday 16/30 January 2017 depending on where you live.

Leave your real Christmas tree (all decorations removed) in a clearly visible place next to your green rubbish bin and we will collect it separately for recycling.

Please don't cut up your trees, it's easier for us to handle whole.

To find your collection day visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Think before you drink!

Could the amount you drink be affecting your health?

With the festive season on its way, thinking about the amount we drink is probably not particularly welcome. However many of us like to unwind with a quick beer or a glass of wine but if you’re not careful the occasional glass in the evening can turn into two or three glasses most days – so why not make time to check how much you’re drinking and if this could be affecting your health?

Men and women shouldn’t drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, which is the same as about six pints of average strength beer a week or six 175ml glasses of wine. If you’re regularly drinking more than this you could be damaging your health.

Why cut down?

Once you start drinking a little less, you’ll probably start noticing the benefits quite quickly. But if you’re struggling for motivation here are three of the best reasons to cut back on alcohol:

• Get healthy – drinking too much can increase your risk of developing health issues such as high blood pressure, liver and heart disease and some types of cancer.
• Save money – cutting back will have a positive impact on your wallet as the cost of drinking alcohol can quickly add up. Think how much you could save for things like a holiday, new clothes or a meal out if you spent less on alcohol.
• More energy – alcohol can stop you from sleeping deeply, so drinking less should help you feel more rested, make you livelier and give you better concentration.

The best way to get started is to find out how much you’re drinking, so why don’t you take the Don’t Bottle It Up alcohol test? It’s a quick, easy way to check whether you’re putting your health in danger as a result of your drinking. You’ll be able to access personalised online advice and support, and also find out where you can get local face-to-face help. Visit the Healthy Surrey website to take the test and find out more about cutting down.

Wastebuster

 All Surrey state primary schools are being provided with free access to the Wastebuster waste and environmental education programme. which helps schools reduce waste, explore waste in the curriculum and work towards Eco-Schools Awards.

One of the initiatives is The Wastebuster Home Recycling Challenge. This has been designed as an ideal homework activity that promotes good recycling habits, and offers prizes including £500 cash for the winning school and an iPad for the winning family.

Christmas in Epsom & Ewell

Epsom Christmas lights switch-on
Thursday 24 November
Market Place, Epsom, 4pm – 8.30pm
Kick off your Christmas at the Market Place with fun, frolics and Father Christmas before he gets really busy! The ever popular event will feature a plethora of seasonal family entertainment including fairground rides, santa's grotto, soft play party bus, reindeer rodeo and a giant bouncy snow globe. There will be lots of stalls - and of course the countdown to switch the Epsom Christmas Tree lights ON!

St Martin's Church Christmas Fair
Saturday 26 November; 11am-3pm
Church House, Church Street, Epsom KT17 4PX
Featuring: Tombola, raffle, treasure map, games, face painting. Stalls include: cakes and preserves, bric-a-brac, festive gifts, christmas cards, jewellery, hand-made crafts. Refreshments and lunch.

Winter Fayre
Sunday 27 November
Market Place, Epsom

Ewell Yule
Friday 2 December
High Street, Ewell
The community and the local traders welcome Christmas in traditional style at this annual late night shopping extravaganza. The Council is providing free parking for this event from 4pm at Dorset House and Ewell High Street car parks. Please note, Ewell High Street will be closed to traffic for this event from 4pm - 9pm.

Swinging into Christmas
Friday 2 December
Epsom Playhouse
The power and excitement of the swing band in full flight! Featuring multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with the authentic impact of Glenn Miller, Sinatra, Basie, Fitzgerald, Buble and many more. Enjoy all your favourite Christmas songs with the dynamic big band treatment.

Christmas Fair
Saturday 3 December; 10am-4pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF

Abbamerryxmas
Saturday 3 December
Epsom Playhouse
Dancing Queens and Super Troupers - join the platform pounding, flares-flappin' jive-talkin' disco-dazzling' boob-tube-bustin' Abba Merry Christmas Party... experience the UK's No1 concert show's "fabba-ulous" festive party spectacular!

Winchester Christmas Market Coach Trip
Saturday 3 December; departure time 8.30am
Christchurch car park, Epsom KT19 8NE
Departing Winchester 5.30pm. Cost £30. Raising funds in support of Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell. For tickets and payment detail email: xmasmarket@caee.org.uk Visit www.epsomewellcab.org.uk/xmasmarket

Charity Christmas Tree Sale
Saturdays 3 & 10 and Sundays 4 & 11 December; 9am - 4pm
4th Ewell Scout HQ, 1 Bluegates, London Road, Ewell KT17 2SA and online
We deliver within 15 miles, accep cards and you can buy or pre-order online. Visit www.xmastrees.org.uk, Facebook: www.facebook.com/nonsuchtrees, Twitter: @nonsuchtrees

2nd Cuddington (Rowe) Scout Group Supporters Committee - Christmas Fair
Sunday 4 December; 12.30-3pm
Rowe Hall, Salisbury Road, Worcester Park (next to Cuddington School)
Admission by donation. Come and visit Father Christmas. Try your luck on the Bottle Tombola. Tel: 020 8330 0365, email: Scouts2ndCudd@aol.com, website: www.2ndCuddingtonScouts.org.uk

Christmas Concerts
Sunday 4 December
Epsom Playhouse
Epsom Symphony Orchestra present a cornucopia of musical yuletide goodies including Cinderella and carols with the audience.

Christmas Tree Festival
8-11 December
St Barnabas Church, Temple Road, Epsom KT19 8HA
Thursday 8, 12noon-8.30pm (1pm official opening by Deputy Mayor of Epsom & Ewell, Cllr Liz Frost); Friday 9, 10am-8.30pm; Saturday 10, 10am-5pm; Sunday 11 at 4pm - St Lucia Christingle Children's Service (in aid of the Children's Society).

Lights on Broadway
Friday 9 December
Stoneleigh Broadway
Events and enjoyment for all the family, including the opportunity to indulge in some late-night shopping.

Santa Claus and the Christmas Adventure
Friday 9 December to Christmas Eve
Epsom Playhouse
The adventure takes place at Santa's HQ in the North Pole. The Reindeer’s Sat Nav is programmed, the toys are piled high on the sleigh and Santa is ready to go when suddenly chaos strikes! Rudolph is missing and the Elves are up to no good. Will Santa ever deliver the presents?! He needs some help from all the good boys and girls in the audience to help Santa save the day.

The Great Big Christmas Fundraiser for Winston's Wish
Friday 09 December; 7pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF
Tickets £10. Come alogn for a great evening of family entertainment provided by performers from The Ultimate Voice, The Heart & Soul Choir, Wallace Fields Infant School, Dandelion Theatre Arts, The Brit School and help us blast through our fundraising target for our chosen charity, Winston's Wish (www.winstonswish.org.uk) during 2016. Book your tickets today at www.theultimatevoice.org

Bourne Hall Museum Kids Club - Christmas during the seventeenth century
Saturday 10 December; 1pm - 2.30pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF
Find out more about the customs and traditions of Christmas during the seventeenth century in England.

1st Cuddington (Warspite) Sea Scout Group Christmas Craft Fair & Tree Sales
Saturday 10 December; Craft Fair 11am-2pm; Tree Sale: 9am-3pm
Fancourt Hall, Cunliffe Road, Stoneleigh KT19 0RJ
Free admission. Fantastic craft stalls, handmade Christmas presents, needlefast Nordman fir trees, delicious home made cakes, brilliant raffle. All proceeds to support Scouting, helping create a more positive future for young people. Contact Claire for more info, telephone: 0208 397 3123, email: clairehunt03@warspite.org

Peace on Earth
Saturday 10 December
St Martin’s Church, Epsom
Epsom Chamber Choir present two programmes including Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols – see www.epsomchamberchoir.org.uk

Christmas Concert - Stoneleigh Choral Society
Saturday 10 December; 7.30pm
St John's Church, Stoneleigh Park Road, Stoneleigh KT19 0QZ
With carols for choir and audience, mulled wine, mince pies. Tickets: Adults £10 under 18s £5 available on the door on the night or in advance from Jackie Rickard 020 8303 4666.

The Friends of Nonsuch (FON) event
Saturday 10 December; 2.30pm
Service Wing Museum
No charge but donations would be appreciated. Join FON and the Nightingale Singers for an afternoon of Christmas songs, carols and words in The Stable. Recover with "mingley" pies and sesonal fare. Visit www.friendsofnonsuch.co.uk

Gift Market
Tuesday 13 December to Saturday 17 December
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF
The popular five day gift market has become a regular fixture for those wanting to get a gift that’s a little bit different 

Christmas Memorial Service
Friday 16 December
Epsom Cemetery Chapel
A service for those who like to remember lost loved ones as Christmas approaches. The service is not a traditional religious service though there will be some familiar Christmas music.

Aladdin
Friday 16 December to 8 January 
Epsom Playhouse
A work of genie-us; this year's spectacular family pantomime is Aladdin, delivering madcap exuberance, mystical titillation and magical mayhem! The Epsom Playhouse pantomime has become a festive tradition for many and this year’s extravaganza, with stunning scenery, outrageous costumes and a fabulous cast is going to be a sensation – oh, yes it is!

Charity Christmas Concert featuring Barisons Singers
Friday 16 December; 7.30pm
St Barnabas Church, Temple Road, Epsom KT19 8HA
£5 entry in aid of The Sunnybank Trust.

International Peace Light Celebration
Sunday 18 December
The Ashley Centre, 2pm-2.30pm
Lit from the flame at the Nativity Grotto in Bethlehem, the Peace Light travels throughout Europe and the America’s. It is distributed by Scouts and Guides with a message of Peace to their countries for use at ecumenical services.

Epsom Scouts will escort the Pease Light into the Ashley Centre, where it will be welcomed by our Mayor, George Crawford, and by renowned snooker star Jimmy White MBE. Everyone is invited to share in a short ceremony and to enjoy the hand bells and to sing carols. The light will be taken on to various events in Epsom.

Waldegrave explore - The Snow Queen a musical interactive children's workshop
Wednesday 21 December; 3pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF
Workshop suitable for children aged 3-9 years old. Join our enchanting adventure across land & sea and help us avoid the evil clutches of the Snow Queen. An introductory workshop to the woodwind family. There will be prizes for the best festive constumes so come along dressed to impress! Tickets available online at www.waldegrave-ensemble.com £8 per child (price includes activity pack) Accompanying adults and children under 3 years old enter for free. Please note each child or group of children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Christmas Concert
Wednesday 21 December; 6.30pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell KT17 1UF
Join our wind quintet for an evening of seasonal music and carols for all the family to draw in the festive season. Mince pie and drink included in the ticket price. Book tickets online today at www.waldegrave-ensemble.com £12 adults, £10 concessions, £5 children.

Ewell St Mary's Morris Men
Thursday 22 December; 8.30pm
The Wheatsheaf, Ewell
Singing traditional Christmas songs in aid of the Mayor's charity, MacMillan Cancer Support.

Events across Epsom & Ewell

Here’s a round-up of some of the events across the Borough that we know about (some of these are organised by other groups and the Council is not responsible for the activity).

Epsom Talks 2016-17 a series of talks presented by Epsom and Ewell Literary Society
First Wednesday of the month October - May (excluding Jan 2017); 7.45pm
Epsom Playhouse KT18 5AL
Informative. Inspiring. Illuminating. New members and guests always welcome. For further information please contact Elizabeth Mackie, Membership Secretary, tel: 01737 355300; email: info@epsomlit.org.uk; website: www.epsomlit.org.uk

Sir Noman Wisdom exhibition
Until 12 March 2017
Bourne Hall Museum
Sir Norman Wisdom, actor, comedian and singer-songwriter, was best known for a series of comedy films produced in the 1950’s and 60’s. He was also a one-time resident of this borough. Bourne Hall Museum has secured the loan of the official exhibition of his life and work from his family. This is the first time the collection will be seen in the South of England. The exhibition contains theatre posters, handwritten scripts, film stills, props and costumes. Among the exhibits is Sir Norman’s 1954 British Film Academy Award. The exhibition runs until the New Year.

November-December 2016

Broadway Blackout presented by Banstead & Nork Amateur Operatic Society
Thursday 24 - Friday 26 November; evening performances 7.30pm, Saturday matinee 3.30pm
Banstead Community Hall, Park Road, Banstead SM7 3AJ
Box office: 07858 759 036. Tickets also available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk (online booking fee applies). For more info visit www.banaos.org.uk

Dies Irae, a major new choral work by award-winning composer Ian Assersohn
Saturday 26 November; 7.30pm
Dorking Halls
Commissioned jointly by Leatherhead Choral Society and Epsom Male Voice choir to form part of the centenary commemorations of the Battle of The Somme. Pre-concert discussion 6.30-7.30pm. Leatherhead Choral Society, Epsom Male Voice Choir, Farnham Youth Junior Choir, Camerata of London. Ticket prices : £16, £14, £12, £5 (under 14s). Visit www.leatherhead-choral.net/diesirae

Nonsuch Craft Group - Annual Craft Fair
Tuesday 22 November - Saturday 3 December; 9am-7.30pm Tues to Fri & 9am-4.30pm Saturday
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell
Free admission. Cash only. Everything hand-crafted locally.

Wedding Fair Winter Wonderland
Sunday 27 November; 11am - 3pm
Ewell Court House, KT19 0EB (off Ewell By Pass)
Free admission. If you are planning a party, a wedding or an important event then this is the place to be inspired. www.eventsbyinspire.co.uk Tel: 07495 214618.

Have you ever stopped to wonder presented by Epsom Mayday Flower Club
Wednesday 14 December; 1.30pm for 2pm
Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell
A flower arranging demonstration by Gill Smaggasgale. Visitors welcome £6.

Bourne Hall Museum Kids Club

World War II
Saturday 7 January 2017; 1pm - 2.30pm
As the sandbags were piled high, barrage balloons filled the air and the children were evacuated, Britain made ready to do battle on the Home Front.

Find out how people defended their town, families and community during the dark days of WWII. Discover just what could fall out of the sky on your head and handle some things that did, join an Air Raid Warden and learn how to survive an air raid and a gas attack just as children did during the War. 

Cost per person £5. Please meet in the foyer of Bourne Hall. Places are limited, to reserve your space or for further information please contact David Brooks, Bourne Hall Museum, Spring Street, Ewell, Surrey, KT17 1UF. Tel: 020 8394 1734. Email: dbrooks@epsom-ewell.gov.uk http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/BourneHallMuseumClub.html

Epsom & Ewell Mayor's Charity Fund Events

All Epsom & Ewell Mayor's Charity Fundraising events are in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Epsom & Ewell Silver Band present The Christmas Concert
Sunday 4 December; 7pm
ST Mayor's Church, The Avenue, Worcester Park KT4 7HL
Tickets: £10, under 12's free including tea/coffee & mince pie.

Ewell St Mary's Morris Men
Thursday 22 December; 8.30pm
The Wheatsheaf, Ewell
Singing traditional Christmas songs.

Ewell St Mary's Morris Men dancing in Ewell Village
Boxing Day 26 December
Accompanied by Mayor of Epsom & Ewell, Councillor George Crawford. 12noon at 'The Green May'; 12.30pm opposite 'The Star'; 1pm at The Watch House, Church Street; 1.30pm at 'The Spring Tavern'; 2pm at 'The Wheatsheaf' followed by the traditional midwinter Mummer's Play at The Upper Mill.

2017

Quiz Night
Saturday 14 January

Ladies Lunch in aid of Mayor of Epsom and Ewell's Charity Fund
Friday 03 March 2017; 1pm for 1.30pm
Chalk Lane Hotel, Epsom 
Sponsored by Epsom Coaches. Guest of Honour, Lynne Owens CBE QPM MA - Director General of the UK National Crime Agency. Book tickets now - £40. Pay no later than 1 February 2017.

To find out more visit www.mayorscharitiesepsom.org.uk; email: mayoreventsepsom@gmail.com; tel: Ann Turner 0208 330 4296 or email: crawfog2@sky.com

Energize Epsom & Ewell

New Junior mixed Lacrosse sessions starting January 2017!
Lacrosse is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Mixed Lacrosse has featured in the Surrey Youth Games for the last four years with Team Epsom & Ewell winning four gold medals in four years! The sport has thus increasingly gained popularity in the Borough.

Starting 18 January 2017, sessions for girls and boys aged 11-16 will take place at Court Recreation Ground, Epsom every Wednesday from 4pm-5pm. The first session is free and thereafter cost £2. All sessions are led by qualified coaches from English Lacrosse. To register interest please click here

In July 2017 the UK plays host to the Womens Lacrosse World Cup at Surrey Sports Park welcoming teams from across the world, it's promising to be the biggest one yet! If you would like any more information on the new junior mixed Lacrosse sessions please contact Abbie Mitchell Mackinnon, email: a.mitchell@englishlacrosse.co.uk or visit the English Lacrosse website: www.englishlacrosse.co.uk

Epsom & Ewell Sports Awards winners move onto the Surrey Sports Awards 2016
Congratulations to four of our Epsom & Ewell Sports Award winners who have been nominated for this year's Surrey Sports Awards that take place on 6 December in Woking. They include:
- Surrey Playing Fields Young Volunteer of the Year - James Peters (pictured right, pic credit: Nik Bartrum Photography)
- Active Surrey Sports Club of the Year - Ebbisham Sports Club
- 3wise Sports Team of the Year - Sutton & Epsom Ladies RFC
- BBC Outstanding Service to Sport - Carole Goldsmith

We wish them the best of luck in the awards!  Don't forget to check Energize in the next edition of e-Borough Insight to find out how they got on. For a full list of the shortlisted nominees please visit the Active Surrey website: www.activesurrey.com/sportsawards

‘Run the World’ at School!
A new initiative created by the local County Sports Partnership, Active Surrey that encourages pupils in Surrey to run, jog or even walk a measured mile around their school grounds each day which will ultimately equate to a sporting route around the world. Research has shown that daily activity can not only help children’s fitness but also behaviour and improve concentration levels.

In Epsom & Ewell, the following primary schools - Linden Bridge, St Joseph's and The Vale have already signed up to take part! No special kit is needed to join in. If you would like to find out more visit the Active Surrey website: www.activesurrey.com/schools/rtw

Epsom & Ewell take the silver at Better Club Games 2016
A team from Epsom and Ewell took the runners-up slot when competing against 750 over 55-year-olds at the 2016 Better Games. The annual event run by Better, the UK’s largest Leisure Provider, was hosted for the third time at the Copper Box Arena, at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. The overall aim of the event is to encourage older people to become more active. 

Epsom & Ewell’s Over 55's team carried the title of reigning champions after their success in 2015. They almost reclaimed top spot once again this year but were narrowly beaten to the gold medal by Greenwich. Participants took part in a range of sports including badminton, short tennis, swimming, dominoes and darts.

Joyce Puddick, member of the 2016 Epsom & Ewell silver medal winning team has been involved in the last 10 Club Games. She commented, “I had a fantastic day. It was extremely well organised and I went home feeling very pleased with what we achieved. It’s fantastic to see so many older people active and competing at such a high level. Well done to the Epsom & Ewell team!

Sessions for all at Rainbow Leisure Centre
Rainbow Leisure Centre are keen to provide inclusive activities for people of all levels of fitness. As part of their inclusive programme the Centre is now leading a fitness session to cater for people with a disability and their carers every Tuesday from 10am to 12noon. The sessions are led by Rainbow Leisure Centre’s dedicated disability fitness instructor, Karen Willson. For more information please contact the Centre on 01372 727277 or visit www.better.org.uk

Cracking Christmas offers at Ebbisham Sports Club
Try-Sport Xmas Camps: Learn to play six racket sports before the end of the year! Juniors aged 7 to 16 are welcome to try badminton, squash, racket ball, tennis, touchtennis and table tennis. The first camp takes place on Friday 23 December and the second camp on Monday 2 January 2017. Both camps start at 9am and finish at 3.30pm. The cost for each camp is £30 with a special offer of £55 if you book for both sessions.
For more information please contact the Admin team at Ebbisham Sports Club: admin@ebbisham.com or the Club's website: www.ebbisham.com

Get Active 50+ Rackets morning: If you're aged 50+ you can also go down and try one or all of the six racket sports that the Club have to offer. This includes all of the sports previously mentioned: badminton, squash, racket ball, tennis, touchtennis and table tennis. The sessions will run on four Thursdays before Christmas; 17 & 24 November and 1 & 8 December. Non-members are welcome to attend. Each session costs £5. Free tea and coffee is provided! 

Focus Netball Club is Looking for new netball players!
Team Epsom & Ewell’s 2016 Surrey Youth Games partner club, Focus Netball are looking for new players. Girls aged 9-11 in school years 5 and 6 are invited to train with the club with a free trial session on offer. Sessions take place at Therfield School in Leatherhead, KT22 7NZ. For more information contact Karen Chapman on email: mandkchapman1705@ntlworld.com or visit the Club’s website: www.focusnetball.co.uk

Play Basketball with Longmeadz Dunkz
New Basketball sessions are taking place at the Longmead Muga every Friday from 6pm to 8pm. Sessions are for boys and girls aged between 12 and 18 and are led by a professional basketball coach. All sessions are free and you can just turn up and play without booking. For more information, please contact Dawn, from the Beat Project on 07760 649182.

Run with Epsom Allsorts!
Epsom Allsorts Running Club are starting a new beginners group on 15 January 2017. The club is welcoming ladies of all abilities to kick start the new year with a new running programme. Each session features a weekly training guide and is ideal for new or returning runners. The sessions are a great way to improve fitness levels in a supportive and fun environment. For more information please email: info@epsomallsorts.org.uk or visit: www.epsomallsorts.org.uk

Mums get Fit with Teammama
Teammama lead regular fitness classes for mums at Nonsuch Park. Sessions cater for mums to be and beyond. Teammama are offering a special offer of a first session free. Regular sessions take place at Nonsuch Park every Monday and Wednesday at 9.30am and 10.45am and Fridays at 9.30am. A special 45 minute core focused class, ‘Coremama’ takes place on Fridays at 10.45am. To claim your free class voucher or to find out more about Teammama please contact Cat: info@teammama.co.uk. Visit www.teammama.co.uk to find out more about what type of classes are on offer.

Golf success for Ben!
Epsom Golf Club’s Junior golfer, Ben Partridge was called up to the England Squad training camp in the half term break. Ben spent the week going through extensive coaching to help improve his game. On returning Ben showed great team spirit by taking part in a friendly match with the younger juniors at the club. He is currently representing Surrey in the under 16 age group.  

Epsom Golf Club are keen to introduce new juniors to the sport. To find out more about junior opportunities at the Club please contact the Junior Organiser Roy Chegwin on 07855 389452 or email roy@marchstudio.co.uk or visit the Club's website:  www.epsomgolfclub.co.uk

Kieran Owens finishes the year in style
Kieran Owen (pictured left, pic credit: Nik Bartrum Photography) was recently named Epsom and Ewell’s Young Sports Personality of the Year and this young Wakeboarder’s year continues to get better and better! Kieran recently returned from the WWA Wake Park World Championships in the Philippines where he came away with a bronze medal in the Junior 14 and under Features event. Kieran is currently ranked world number one in his age group. Well done Kieran!    

Club Profile: Epsom Hockey Club

2016 has been a very successful year for Epsom Hockey Club. Club Captain Andy White spoke to us about what the club have been up to.

Andy, can you tell us a bit more about Epsom Hockey Club?
The Club is approaching its 95th year of providing hockey in the local community and is going from strength to strength. The Hockey Club forms part of Epsom Sports Club which also offers cricket, tennis and croquet as its main sports as well as playing host to Epsom Lacrosse Club.

Who can join the club?
The club is open to everyone! Our current playing members range from 7 to 70 years old. This includes junior, mens and ladies teams, veterans and even a mixed gender social team that plays from time to time. There is no required standard and coaching is available for all members.

When do the club train?
The ladies currently train on Tuesdays and Thursdays, men on Wednesdays and junior coaching takes place on Sunday mornings.

The club have had a lot of success with junior players. Why is this?
Epsom Hockey Club has always been keen to provide quality Hockey coaching to young people in the Borough. We are Epsom & Ewell Borough Council’s partner club for the Surrey Youth Games, where we provide volunteer coaches to lead training sessions and take boys and girls teams to the Games finals. Last year both the boys and girls won bronze medals which was a fantastic achievement as many of the players were new to hockey. We work hard to make sure there are opportunities for all of the young players to improve and play hockey competitively should they wish to do so.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about Epsom Hockey Club?
2016 was a big year for hockey in Great Britain with the ladies coming away with the gold medal in the Rio Olympics. We had gold medal success of our own with 3 of our veteran teams coming away with national championship medals. This included our Ladies Over 35s, Mens over 40s and Mens Over 50s teams. It just goes to show that we really do have a club for all ages!

What attributes do you need to have to be good at hockey?
It is a distinct advantage to have a good level of all-round fitness. The good thing about this is it can improve vastly with regular training! We encourage a good appreciation of team-work too. This is a big part of the club and is helped by regular social events we run on a Saturday evening. This helps us achieve a good balance between the social and competitive benefits of the sport.

Opportunities at the club go beyond the playing pitch don’t they?
Absolutely! We offer lots of opportunities to get involved in a variety of volunteering roles including coaching, umpiring, marketing, and fundraising. All of these roles help the club to be able to provide the services we do.

How can people find out more about the club?
This is a great time to get involved with hockey in Epsom and Ewell. We are in the process of expanding to a new facility in the Borough which will mean there will be more opportunities for everyone to play hockey regularly. To find out more about what we do please feel free to contact me by email: andysarah.white@ntlworld.com or by phoning 07775 705841. You can also visit our website: www.epsomhc.co.uk and we are on both Facebook and Twitter!   

Sport, every day!

Every day there is the opportunity to engage in a different sport in the Borough, here's a selection:

Mondays

Tennis: 1.45pm - 2.45pm; Epsom & Ewell Wellbeing Centre, Sefton Road, Epsom KT19 9HG. Try your hand at tennis with Jane at the Wellbeing Centre! To book your space call Usha or Yvie on 01372 727583. Sessions are Free and take place weather permitting.

Just Play Football sessions: 6pm-7pm; Court Recreation Ground 3G AstroTurf surface, Pound Lane, Epsom KT19 8SB. FA Mars Just Play centres allow anyone to get involved in playing football aged 16 or over. Cost £3 per session. For more info visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/justplay

Saturdays

Tennis sessions: 1.30pm - 3.30pm at Court Recreation Ground - Epsom Community Tennis – recommence on Saturday 5 March.  

Just Play Football sessions: 5pm-7pm; Court Recreation Ground 3G AstroTurf surface, Pound Lane, Epsom KT19 8SB. FA Mars Just Play centres allow anyone to get involved in playing football aged 16 or over. Cost £3 per session. For more information visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/justplay

Junior Table Tennis Sessions: 10.30am-12.30noon at Blenheim School. £4 per session. Open to 11-16 year olds. Contact Terry Bailey for more info at bailey@blenheim.surrey.sch.uk

During the week

Improve wellbeing with the Mary Frances Trust: A new Dance & Exercise class is running at the Ebbisham Centre, KT19 8AG every Wednesday, 10.15am-11am. Sessions are open to participants aged 18 and over and cater for any level of fitness or ability. To book your place please contact the Mary Frances Trust; info@maryfrancestrust.org.uk or 01372 375400. The Mary Frances Trust provides information and services for people experiencing mental health difficulties, including the people who care for them. For more information visit www.maryfrancestrust.org.uk

Fitsteps: Wednesdays and/or Mondays 8pm - 9pm, The Harrier Centre, King George's Recreational Ground, Poole Road, West Ewell KT19 9RY. Brand new class starts Wednesday 21 October. £5 per class (pay as you go). All abilities very welcome. Come alone or bring a friend. The brand new Latin & Ballroom Inspired Fitness Class. For more information contact Lauren on 07736031154 or email lauren.godbold@hotmail.co.uk

Epsom Cricket Club - Winter Training Sessions: Tuesdays 8pm-9.30pm, Glyn School; Sundays 8pm-9pm; Epsom College. First session is FREE then £5 per session. Epsom CC is looking for new players for the 2015 season. The club caters for juniors from 5 to 17 years and adults. Contact Phil Edwards on 07903 769 612 or email: philedwards974@gmail.com for more info or visit: www.epsomcricketclub.co.uk

Wheels for All: At The Harrier Centre, King George's Recreational Ground, Poole Road, West Ewell KT19 9RY. Wheels for All is a project run by the charity Cycling Projects that makes cycling accessible to all and provides a range of adapted cycles making cycling an option for people who may find other forms of physical activity difficult. Sessions take place every Thursday for: Adults 1pm - 3.30 pm; Children and family sessions 3pm - 5.15pm & on Saturday's 1.30pm - 4pm. Cost £2 per person. For more information contact Ben Thomas on 07792616750, email SWFA@cycling.org.uk or visit http://www.cycling.org.uk/wfa-focus-surrey-wheels-all

Epsom Allsorts Running Club: Epsom Allsorts are a ladies running club. Members of all abilities meet at various venues around Epsom for runs of 3 miles or more. The club run a beginners group and are preparing for the club’s annual 5 mile race, the Hogsmill 5 which will take place at 10am on Sunday 22 May at the Harrier Centre, Poole Road, Epsom KT19 9RY. Training sessions take place on Sundays at 8.15am. The group meets at Horton Country Park. For more info contact info@epsomallsorts.org.uk or check out the club website www.epsomallsorts.org.uk

Epsom Oddballs Running Club: Epsom Oddballs is a friendly running club catering for all running abilities. Our regular club meetings are on Tuesday evenings at or near to Horton Country Park for a training session, and on Thursday evenings and most Sunday evenings at various locations for a social run. We also enter teams in the Surrey cross-country league and other events, and a Surrey-based cross-country fun league meeting once a month. In addition, we do have a few internal events through the year. We welcome new members, who should join us for one or more of our regular weekly meetings beforehand. Further details can be found on our website, www.epsomoddballs.org

Get into Golf: It doesn’t matter if you’ve never played golf or haven’t picked up a club since your school days or an almost-forgotten holiday. The Get into golf campaign, supported by Sport England and funded by the National Lottery, is now making the game more affordable and welcoming than ever before. A game of golf will see you walk around five miles and playing regularly will help you easily achieve the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. To get onto the next course running at Horton Park – visit http://www.getintogolf.org/

Epsom and Ewell Health Walks: Enjoy the outdoors, step into fitness and walk your way to health. Epsom and Ewell Health Walks is a voluntary group offering a full programme of healthy walks throughout Epsom and Ewell on three days of the week: Mondays (half hour), Wednesdays (one hour) and Sundays (one hour). All our walks are mapped out and led by trained walk leaders. Open to all ages and abilities. No booking required. Visit www.epsomandewellhealthwalks.org.uk to view the latest Health Walk programme and location maps.

Ebbisham Sports Club

Mondays

EzeeSport Classes: Children aged 3 - 5 years. Class times (term-time) for children aged - 3 - 4 years 10am - 10.45am; for children aged 3 - 5 years 4.30 - 5.15pm. Classes are held on the Tennish Court or Squash Court depending on the weather. For more inforamtion and to book a free trial call 07862 220 857 or email office@ezeeport.com  or visit www.ezeesport.com

Tuesdays

Epsom & Ewell Squash Development Training: 4.15pm-5.30pm. £3 per session for 7-13 year olds. Contact Peter Crossman for more info; peter@ezeesport.com

Sundays

BISI Badminton: 9am-10am - a fun introduction to badminton for children aged 4 to 8. £18 for 6 sessions. All equipment provided. For more info contact Ebbisham Sports Club no 01372 720647.

Cardio Tennis: Wednesdays only 9.30am - 10.30am. All sessions are held at the Ebbisham Sports Club, for more information email hughimprey@hotmail.co.uk or visit www.facebook.com/CardioTennisEpsom

Rainbow Leisure Centre

Mondays

Basketball: 5:30-6:30pm for 5-7 year olds and 6:30-7:30pm for 8-10 year olds.

Netball Now: 6.30pm—8pm, £15 for 6 weeks or £3 a session (open to women).

New! Futsal Sessions: Futsal is an indoor variant of football that helps develop improved awareness and movement. Futsal has long been used to develop skills for aspiring footballers with the small sided games challenging players to develop their skills in smaller spaces. Local sessions take place every Monday, 4pm - 5pm. The sessions are open to 7-12 year olds and the first session is FREE. To book please contact Sam Sandri; totalfootacademy@gmail.com or 07801 269926.

Tuesdays

Judo: 5pm—6pm. For juniors aged 5—10 during term time. The sessions are designed for beginners.

Wednesdays

Athletics Course: 4pm-5pm. Open to 5-10 year olds.

Smash Up Badminton: After a successful launch over the summer Smash Up Badminton is back! Sessions take place on Fridays at 3.45pm to 4.45pm for 7-10 year olds and 4.45pm to 5.45pm for 11-15 year olds. There is no need to book, just drop in! The cost is £2.85 per session.

Thursdays

Pre-School Gymnastics: 3.45pm-4.30pm & 4.30pm-5.15pm. Open to 3-4 year olds. Call Rainbow Leisure Centre on 01372 727277 to book.

Fridays

Walking Football: 10.30-11.30am. Cost: £2.70 per session. Aimed at the over 55s, it is a slow-paced version of the beautiful game designed to help people keep an active lifestyle despite their age. Endorsed by Surrey FA, it is an excellent sport for those that want to try something new, as well as getting those back playing football who had to stop due to injuries. For more information contact Rainbow Leisure Centre on 01372 727277.

For all of the above to book or register (unless where stated) call Rainbow Leisure Centre on 01372 727277 or visit www.betterlessons.org.uk

Epsom Markets

Held in the Market Place by The Clock Tower in Epsom, there's something for everyone!

Traditional Epsom Market Takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays from 9am - 4pm and features around 20 stalls from fruit and vegetables, clothes, hardware, fabric, pet foods, flowers, seafood, shoes and other speciality goods, they all offer something special for free: a welcoming smile.

Epsom Farmer's Market: Next on Sunday 4 December. Takes place on the first Sunday of the month from 9.30am - 1.30pm, this market is a treasure trove of fresh, tasty and attractive local produce. To find out more, come to the market! For more info visit http://www.surreymarkets.co.uk/epsom-market/

Local Enterprise Market Takes place on the last Sunday of the month and is a chance for local businesses and sole traders to show their wares - whether they make a product or offer a service.

Street Traders The Market Place also has a small number of regular Street Traders that trade across the week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays selling DIY products, fruit and vegetables and hot food.

Don’t have the stuffing knocked out of you this Christmas!

Christmas dinner. It’s probably the most important meal of the year.

But poultry, such as turkey, goose and chicken, can cause food poisoning if not cooked properly. Combined with this, is the fact that over Christmas, many people find themselves cooking for more people than they are used to and handling larger amounts of food, which also leads to more leftovers which need to be dealt with appropriately.

The Environmental Health Team at the Town Hall have pulled together this guide to ensure you enjoy a Christmas free from food poisoning.

Planning

• Make sure that you have enough fridge and freezer space and that your fridge temperature is running between 0°C and 5ºC. This can be easily checked with an inexpensive fridge thermometer.
• If you buy a frozen bird ensure that it is allowed time to properly defrost, if it's still partially frozen the recommended cooking times won't be long enough to cook it thoroughly leading to survival of bacteria and potential food poisoning.
• Defrosting should be carried out either in the refrigerator or in a cool room. A good guide for defrosting in the fridge is 12 hours per kg, and in a cool room (at 15°C) is 7 hours per kilo. An 8 kg (17.5 lb) turkey will take four days to thaw in the fridge. At the end of thawing a look inside the body cavity should reveal no ice crystals, also the legs should not be stiff but move freely - if there are still ice crystals and/or the legs are a little stiff, more defrosting time will be required (always follow the instructions on the packaging). Make sure it doesn't touch other foods and the dish used is large enough to collect any liquid (even if the bird is wrapped).
• 1 kg is equivalent to 2.2 lb, so depending on whether you prefer metric or imperial you will need to make any necessary conversions to recipes/cooking instructions/etc.

Cooking

• It is not necessary to wash your poultry as adequate cooking will kill any bacteria and by washing the bird you may spread bacteria, via splashing, throughout your kitchen.
• For roasting it is recommended that birds are cooked for 40 minutes per kg at 190°C. As such, an 8 kg bird will take 320 minutes (5h 20min). Follow any instructions on the packaging.
• These days it is recommended that stuffing is cooked alongside the bird, not in it. This is to allow hot air to circulate within the bird’s cavity ensuring it is properly cooked.
• Never part cook poultry the night before.
• Ensure that the turkey is thoroughly cooked. To check, part the skin between the leg and breast, if it's still a little pink then allow extra cooking time. Juices should run clear not pink. When you cut into the thickest part of the turkey, none of the meat should be pink.
• If you prefer to use a temperature probe or food thermometer, ensure that the thickest part of the bird (between the breast and the thigh) reaches at least 75ºC for 30 seconds.
• Vegetables need to be handled and prepared properly too, always wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw food. Unless packaging says "ready to eat" you must wash, peel or cook vegetables before eating.

Avoid contamination

• Wash hands thoroughly in hot soapy water before preparing food and especially after touching raw meat and other raw foods.
• Keep cuts and grazes covered with a waterproof plaster.
• Clean equipment and surfaces thoroughly after preparing raw foods and before contact with other foods. Use an anti-bacterial sanitiser.
• Always store cooked or ready to eat foods on a higher shelf than raw foods in the refrigerator. Remember raw food includes vegetables.
• Avoid preparing food for yourself or others if you are ill, especially with sickness and/or diarrhoea.
• Never use the same chopping board for raw poultry and ready to eat foods unless it is washed thoroughly in hot soapy water (ideally have separate chopping boards).
• Don't leave leftovers sitting around as food poisoning bacteria can grow and multiply. Cool any leftovers quickly, ideally within two hours before putting in the fridge. To speed cooling divide the food into smaller portions and put on a cooling rack (such as the rack from a grill pan).
• Avoid re-heating food more than once.
• If you do reheat leftovers ensure that they are piping hot.
• Ideally don't keep leftovers for more than two days.
• If you want to keep leftovers longer than two days, you can freeze them instead. Cool leftovers before putting them into the freezer and use within one month. Once defrosted, don't refreeze the leftovers.

Look before you book!

If you’re planning that special Christmas meal out with friends, family or work colleagues, our Environmental Health Team is reminding you to check the food hygiene rating before you book.

Christmas is a time to enjoy great company with good food, without worrying about what’s happening in the kitchen. The truth is - you don’t know how good or clean a food business is until you check their Food Hygiene Rating. There’s one easy way to set your mind at rest – visit http://ratings.food.gov.uk

If you’re out and about you can use mobile phone apps or look for the green and black sticker on display.

By checking the rating, you can be reassured to know that that you’ve chosen a food business where they take food safety as seriously as you.

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by our food safety officers.

Businesses are rated on a scale ranging from a top rating of 5 which is ‘very good’ down to 0 which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’. Any business that fails to meet minimum standards will be subject to enforcement action.

75% of food businesses in Epsom & Ewell are rated 4 or 5 so there are plenty of places to choose from not only at Christmas, but all year round!

Weekly activities at The Wellbeing Centre

The above sessions are subject to short notice amendments or cancellation, booking advisable.

Sessions are held at the
Wellbeing Centre, Sefton Road, Epsom, Surrey KT19 9HG.

For more information please contact Usha or Yvie on 01372 727 583 or email wellbeingcentre@epsom-ewell.gov.uk.

Sessions do not run on Bank Holidays. Some sessions may not run during holiday periods please check with the Centre.

Suggested donation £1 per person per session and £2 for Surrey Wheels.

You can also check out our Wellbeing Centre webpages at www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk. Find us under the Community and
Living page, click on Wellbeing Centre.

Mental Health Safe Havens in Surrey and North East Hampshire

Safe Havens provide out of hours help and support to people and their carers who are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress.

There are six services open in town centre locations across Surrey and North East Hampshire to residents of any district or borough within this area.

They are open evenings, weekends and bank holidays and are designed to give adults a safe alternative to A&E when in crisis (please see individual services for detailed opening times).

Each Safe Haven is staffed by a mental health practitioner from Surrey and Borders Partnership and two trained Safe Haven workers. Peer support from people with lived experience of mental health issues is also increasingly available.

The Safe Havens are provided by a partnership between our Trust and third sector mental health specialists which is funded by Surrey and N E Hants' NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups.  See links for individual details.

• Safe Haven, Epsom - The Larches, 44 Waterloo Road, Epsom KT19 8EX (open 365 days per year, 6-11 pm).
• Safe Haven, Aldershot
• Safe Haven, Camberley
• Safe Haven, Guildford
• Safe Haven, Redhill
• Safe Haven, Woking 

See www.sabp.nhs.uk/safehaven for more information.

Six ways to boost your happiness

Looking after your physical health is essential but sometimes we forget about our mental health, which it’s just as important to take care of. The Wheel of Well-being is a handy way to think about some of the things you can do to help you improve your mood, reduce the risk of depression, strengthen your relationships, and even add up to seven years to your life.

It’s made up of six easy steps, so why not give them a try and see how they can make a difference to your happiness?

Mind: keep learning

Coping with stressful situations, being more optimistic and better satisfied are just a couple of benefits that life-long learners get. Classes and courses are great ways to learn, so have a look at what Surrey Adult Learning has to offer

Body: be active

Small amounts of exercise can boost your mental alertness, reduce stress and anxiety, and increase your self-esteem. Think about joining a local sports club – Active Surrey have some great options for clubs and activities to take part in.

Planet: care

Your life satisfaction can improve lots if you play your part in looking after the planet. Have a look at Recycle for Surrey for lots of simple tips and ideas to help you cut down on waste, from tasty recipes that use up leftover food, to how you can recycle old clothes and home textiles.

Spirit: give

Giving to others can make you happier which in turn makes you more likely to carry on giving, so it’s a great way to begin a cycle of generosity and happiness. Volunteering is a great way to do this – have a look at some of the many opportunities to volunteer in Surrey here.

Place: take notice

You’re more likely to understand yourself better and enjoy your life if you pay attention to what’s around you. Try taking a stroll through some of Surrey’s spectacular countryside, or finding out about how mindfulness could help – you’ll find lots of information about it on the NHS website.

People: connect

Socialising can make you more confident and reduce your chances of becoming depressed and lonely. It’s a great reason to meet up with an old friend or have a chat on the phone with a family member. You could also help out in your local community and get to know your neighbours, or volunteer as a befriender – search on Surrey Information Point to find out about befriending schemes where you live.

Have a look at the Healthy Surrey website for lots more ideas.

Volunteer activities: Friends of Horton Country Park

The Friends had a very successful Orchard Volunteer Task on Sunday 30 October, cutting back scrub and overgrown vegetation from around the base of veteran apple and pear trees. Many thanks to all those volunteers who joined in!

The Friends will be having another task, probably one Sunday in February, to continue with this vital work. The Orchard Project will also be running some workshops during 2017 on how to prune and manage trees. If you would be interested in volunteering and learning this useful skill, please get in touch.

Upcoming tasks:

24 November: Location - Keepers Shaw; Task - Scrub management 
01 December: Location - Nightingale Corner; Task - Scrub management
08 December: Location - Field Pond; Task - Pond/Stream management
15 December: Location - Cabbage Field; Task - Hedge laying
22 December: Location - Cabbage Field; Task - Hedge laying

For all tasks please meet at 10am at the Information Centre, Horton Country Park LNR. Equipment and training will be provided. Please wear suitable clothing and sturdy footwear. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Tasks may be subject to change or cancellation in extreme weather, please call the Council's Countryside Team to find out more on 01372 745224.

The Friends would also like to encourage residents to join in at their meetings to help discuss park issues and take part in helping Epsom & Ewell Borough Council manage the site for wildlife and people. They meet every other month on the first Tuesday at 7:30 pm. Next meeting is on Tuesday 6 December.

To view the latest Autumn/Winter 2016 newsletter please click here

For more information on The Friends of Horton County Park visit www.hortoncountrypark.co.uk

Interested in becoming a councillor?

Would you like to get involved in improving services for your community and making a difference to the lives of local residents? With county council elections taking place next year, now could be your chance.

As a councillor at Surrey County Council, you would have the opportunity to represent and support your community in a role that’s varied and wide-ranging – from developing policy and decision making to putting forward the views of residents and working with other local organisations.

If you’d like to find out more about the role of councillor and how to get involved, visit Surrey County Council’s becoming a councillor web page. The page includes information on who can stand for election, how to apply, training, expenses and the answers to other frequently asked questions.

On the page you’ll also find the latest Prospective Councillors Booklet, which is packed with information and advice for anyone interested in becoming a councillor in Surrey, as well as details of a Prospective Councillors event that will be held at County Hall in Kingston-upon-Thames next February.

For more information, contact democraticservices@surreycc.gov.uk or call 0208 541 9122.

Council Meetings: November 2016 - January 2017

NOVEMBER 2016

21       Extraordinary Council meeting

22       Strategy & Resources Committee

DECEMBER 2016

01       Health Liaison Panel

06       Financial Policy Panel

07       Licensing & Planning Policy Committee

08       Human Resources Panel

13       Council

15       Planning Committee

JANUARY 2017

18       Epsom & Walton Downs Conservators (6pm)

19       Planning Committee

24       Community & Wellbeing Committee

30       Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee (10am at Nonsuch Mansion House)

31       Environment Committee

All meetings are held at the Town Hall, Epsom and start at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated.  Meetings may be cancelled or additional meetings arranged as necessary. To view the full year’s calendar of meetings, download Agendas or review Minutes of previous meetings visit www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Agenda papers are available online to download five clear working days before a meeting and are accessible via the mod.gov app.

For further information please contact Democratic Services on 01372 732000 or email contactus@epsom-ewell.gov.uk, quoting the Committee or subject area you are interested in - we are always happy to help.

The mod.gov app

Stay updated with the latest Council Committee meetings agendas, decisions and minutes on your smartphone or tablet with the free mod.gov app (application).

Features
The app provides quick and easy access to information for all Council committee meetings and even allows you to select and subscribe to the committees that interest you. It will then automatically keep itself updated with all the latest meeting agendas and minutes.

Download the app
The mod.gov mobile app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store (for an iPad), Google Play Store (for an Android phone or tablet) or Windows App Store (for a Windows tablet).

Select your Council
Follow the instructions to download the app. Select Epsom & Ewell from the list of publishers.

Select your Committees
Select the committees you wish to subscribe to, you can have as many as you like.

For more information visit http://www.moderngov.co.uk/

Planning applications

Planning applications are available to view online via our interactive online planning system. There are no longer paper copies available to view at the Town Hall. If you wish to view an application, there are computer kiosks in the Town Hall reception area for residents to use.

Each week Epsom & Ewell Borough Council publish received planning applications on our online planning system . For information on the most recent weekly list and the archive of previous editions see - Weekly Planning applications received

We're improving our service!

We're increasing our availability to offer advice about Planning Applications. This free service can be to discuss whether planning permission for a project is required, submitting applications or about other planning development management issues.

Appointments, for 20 minute sessions, must be booked in advance for:
Monday: 1pm - 4pm
Tuesday: 10am - 1pm
Wednesday: 1pm - 4pm
Thursday: 10am - 1pm

Please call the Town Hall Contact Centre on 01372 732000 to book your appointment or for more information on this service.

Jobs at the Council

For information on latest jobs and vacancies visit the Jobs page on the Council's website:

http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/jobs

You can also visit the Epsom & Ewell pages at www.surreyjobs.info

Contact Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

Tel: 01372 732000
Text: 07950 080202
Email: contactus@epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Out of hours emergency number: 01372 732555

Borough Insight is published by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council for residents in the Borough. For more information and to view the current and archive issues of the magazine visit:

http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/borough-insight

If you have any queries on its contents please contact The Editor, Borough Insight, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom, Surrey KT18 5BY.

Tel: 01372 732000.
Email: boroughinsight@epsom-ewell.gov.uk