Annie the musical

Round & About

Guildford

Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood stars as ‘baddie’ Miss Hannigan in Annie at the New Victoria Woking

Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood is used to being booed so he’ll be used to it when audiences at Annie turn on him.
The star audiences love to hate is playing Miss Hannigan in the much-loved tale of orphan Annie which starts at Woking’s Victoria Theatre next week.

He’s reviving a role he took on in the West End in the 2015/16 tour and is delighted to be reprising it in Woking.

He said: “I couldn’t believe that they wanted me to play Miss Hannigan at first, but I thought it would be great and a real challenge for me. I play her for real – she’s not a pantomime dame, there’s no mucking about or breaking the fourth wall, she’s a very real character in a beautifully written show.”

The musical features some of the most well-known songs and you’re sure to join in with Tomorrow and It’s A Hard Knock Life. In case you don’t know the story of Annie, the youngster is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. But is determined to find her real parents. Her luck changes when she spends Christmas with famous billionaire Oliver Warbucks. Miss Hannigan has other ideas and sets about spoiling Annie’s plan.

Playing Miss Hannigan presents Craig with lots of fun, he explained: “Body language has a lot to do with that, the placement of the voice and the accent of course – which I spent six months perfecting.

“As Annie is set in 1930s New York, it’s really nice to play a part who speaks differently than almost anyone does these days. It was a really enjoyable challenge.”

Craig’s love of musical theatre started in Sydney in the 1970s when he went to see Jesus Christ Superstar. He started training at 14 and when he saw Cats in London around that time he says he just knew that was the path for him.

He went on to do several musicals in Australia before joining the Lido de Paris and the Moulin Rouge which then led him into West End shows and after appearing in Crazy For You in 1993 he then switched track.

He said: “I had a really fun year that year. I then left to become a director and choreographer and subsequently a judge on Strictly.
“My first hoorah back onto the boards was when I was asked to do panto ten years ago and the reignited my passion for performing again.

“When I was then asked to do Annie a few years ago I couldn’t believe it, but it’s such a talented cast, I couldn’t say no.”

And what about future roles? Craig admits he likes to create them and enjoyed doing a movie, Nativity Rocks, last year, which had an improvised script with the character being created from scratch. But he admitted: “I wouldn’t mind playing a boy at some stage. I tend to get lots of female roles which is great because I love playing women but it would be nice to play a bloke so I will aim high and say I’m aiming for the next Bond!”

But something he definitely wouldn’t need as the next Bond are his ‘must-have’ items he takes with him – eyelashes and eyelash glue.
Away from the theatre and TV studio, Craig loves to cook in his down time. He said: “I like sleeping in my own bed and cooking in my own home. There’s nothing better to pass the time – whether to test and make up some new recipes or really to get stuck into cooking something. I love it, I could cook for days on end.”

Fans of Craig’s acerbic comments won’t have to wait that long until he’s back on our TV screens as Strictly is set to return in September but this year minus judge Dame Darcey Bussell, so who does he think should step into her sparkly shoes?

“I think it’s got to be someone who knows about dance and comes from a dance world. I’m certainly going to miss Darcey a lot, she’s a class act.

“There are a lot of people who could do it and I want them to choose someone who is right for the job and has an opinion which is the most important thing.”

See Craig Revel Horwood in Annie at Victoria Theatre, Woking from Monday 10th to Saturday, 15th June. Tickets from £19.50. To book, call the box office on 0844 871 7645 or online at
ATG Tickets

Photos: Craig Revel Horwood as Miss Hannigan in Annie  Credit: Paul Coltas

Surrey County Show

Round & About

Guildford

Celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Surrey County Show

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the Surrey County Show and the fantastic family fun day out shows no signs of slowing down.

The annual show brings the country and rural life together in the heart of Guildford with animals, entertainment, rural crafts, food and drink and competitions to guarantee a day with something for everything.

Surrey County Show welcomes around 40,000 visitors to the 66-acre site at Stoke Park and this year they can expect the usual variety of attractions that makes it such a great day out.

At the centre of the show on bank holiday Monday (27th) are the animals and livestock that ensure this truly is a country show – cows, sheep, pigs, goats, horses and donkeys will fill the fields.

Competitions will put beef bulls alongside dairy heifers with rare sheep breeds on show too. Two of what will be the most popular competitions promise to be the ‘Grumpiest pig’ and the fascinatingly named Pig most like its owner!

Horses, ponies and donkeys will be on parade in the equine rings and why not bring your dog along and for the chance to win a prize in the fun dog show – there’s a class for everyone as well as dog agility and terrier racing among others.

Younger children will be able to handle smaller animals at Miller’s Ark petting farm as well as enjoy entertainment from Punch and Judy, a sheep show and donkey rides.

Rural life is a major feature of Surrey County Show too with birds of prey, a milking parlour, Dorset Axeman, vintage tractors and a whole host of rural crafts.

Over in the Grand Arena, big beasts of a very different kind will star when the monster trucks – 7.5ton Big Pete and The Grim Reaper – leap 15ft into the air, crushing anything in their path and will pull a car in a monster tug-of-war.

The heavy horse musical drive and marching band will add to the colour and spectacle of the day with more theatrics coming tricks and stunts from the BMX show.

Guildford Fringe Theatre Company will perform all day and there’ll be Maypole and Morris dancing to entertain you too.

You’ll no doubt need some sustenance to help get you through the day and there are plenty of food and drink choices to keep you going. The Food Theatre will feature a British cheese talk and tasting while Crumbs Brewery will show how they brew beer from left-over bread.
Food and drink from all over the world will rub shoulders with local delicacies on offer at Surrey Farmers’ Market.

If you like to shop ‘til you drop there’s plenty to choose from with hundreds of stalls offering everything from clothing to gifts and homeware to furniture and even luxury cars!

Stoke Park is easy to reach by road or rail, with on-site and nearby parking, four Park and Ride sites and a special train station shuttle bus at £1 each way. Don’t miss it – with so much to see and do, the biggest challenge will be fitting it all in to one day!

Surrey County Show is on Monday, 27th May, from 8am to 6pm.

For tickets please visit Surrey County Show

SWT photography exhibition

Round & About

Guildford

Be inspired to protect nature by the photographs on display at the Wild Surrey Art & Photography Exhibition.

The exhibition which opens tomorrow (25th May) is part of Surrey Wildlife Trust’s celebration of its 60th anniversary and captures the appreciation and love for the county’s wildlife as well as highlighting its vulnerability and the need to protect it.

The exhibition in Guildford House Gallery, at the top of High Street is free and open to all to come and celebrate Surrey’s amazing nature inspired artworks between 10am and 4.45pm every day. This year Wild Surrey is sponsored by Chessington World of Adventures Resort’s Chessington Conservation Fund.

The short-listed artists include adults and children, amateur and professional, from all over Surrey who have captured serenity and joy in a glowing sunrise or mysterious moonlit landscape. Others have captured a glimpse of a tender character in a hedgehog, fox, butterfly or bee. Like the wildlife and habitats in Surrey, there is a great celebration of colour and diversity of style and media, from printmaking to watercolour, ink and digital artwork.

A more thought provoking side to this exhibition depicts an awkwardness of nature around urban life, a discomfort to see foxes eating from bins, swans nesting around litter, scenes of urban life and nature decaying together.  There is a butterfly settled in the middle of a road, common toads clinging on to survival as they mate on a doorstep, plastic waste in rivers choking otters and fly tipping on nature reserves.

Charlotte Magowan, director of people engagement for Surrey Wildlife Trust, said: “We are so looking forward to seeing the wining artwork up in the exhibition. The high quality of artwork really celebrates the beauty of Surrey’s nature and wildlife.
“The narrative of the exhibition shows how precious and yet precarious Surrey’s nature can be. We hope as many people as possible will come and feel inspired to protect it.”

Wild Surrey’s top £500 prize winners will be announced on Saturday at the special celebratory opening night. Local artist Celia Lewis and photographer Richard Peters will be among the judges.

Can you go wild for 30 days?

Take the challenge and find out

For more information about the exhibition which runs until 16th June, visit Surrey Wildlife Trust

Photo credit: Amy Lewis

Go wild in Guildford

Round & About

Guildford

Watch out for the giant badger on 1st and 2nd June and take on the 30 Days Wild challenge

Could you go wild for 30 days in June? That’s the challenge being issued by Countryfile’s Matt Baker.

The UK’s biggest nature challenge, 30 Days Wild, is encouraging people to do something wild every day of the month and get closer to nature.

Matt was inspired by the work of Surrey Wildlife Trust when filming in the county in April and is urging Surrey residents to join in in their thousands.

The challenge is proven to make people healthier, happier and more likely to do something to help the wildlife in their gardens and enjoy nature on their doorstep.

And the choice is yours when it comes to what you do to ‘go wild’ – you could just lie in the grass and gaze up at the clouds, spend some time by the river, admire the dragonflies, create a bucket pond at home or listen to birdsong instead of putting your headphones in on the way to school or work.

The Trust has plenty of ideas on its website and there’s an app which will generate daily ideas.

If you’re in Guildford on Saturday 1st and Sunday, 2nd June don’t be surprised to see a giant badger in High Street – he’ll be celebrating as part of a weekend of activities to mark the wildlife trust’s 60th anniversary. Be inspired by the large pop-up wildlife garden and gardening experts. Get up close to wildlife, take part in fun wildlife themed activities, face painting and trails and much more. There’s also free entry to the Wild Surrey Art and Photography Exhibition at Guildford House Gallery which runs until 16th June.

Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Charlotte Magowan said: “30 Wild Days is the perfect excuse to just get out there every day and enjoy nature where we live.

“Surrey’s countryside is incredible and it’s just too easy to get stuck in the hamster wheel of life and miss the beauty of the natural world.

“Whether you decide to watch the sun go down, listen to a dawn chorus, take a meeting outside, feed the birds or take a video of a minibeast, we want everyone to get closer to nature. It is only by experiencing nature that we recognise its value and realise how important it is to protect it.”

There are a wide range of events, walks and talks taking place as part of SWT’s diamond anniversary, to find out how to get involved and inspiration for ideas visit Surrey Wildlife Trust

Rudridge walk

Round & About

Guildford

Get on the FAST Road to Rudridge and help raise funds for the Stroke Association

We hope we can raise as much money and awareness of the condition as possible and do our bit to support those who have been affected by a stroke.”

Staff from a Farnham company are planning to walk 50km in memory of a former colleague and raise some funds for a very worthy cause at the same time.

Tony Marshall, who worked for materials and groundworks supplier Rudridge, suffered a fatal stroke in 2016 and now the company is hoping to raise awareness of stroke symptoms and support survivors by raising funds for The Stroke Association.

The walk has been called The FAST Road to Rudridge, recognising the acronym that helps identify stroke symptoms encouraging people to act on them – Face, Arms, Speech, Time.

The route they will take on Saturday, 22nd June goes from Southwater in West Sussex to the company’s Farnham depot and includes five walking challenges ranging from 13k to 50k taking in the scenery of the Downs Link Path and the North Downs Way.

Among those taking part will be several of the company’s customers and suppliers who will all be treated to a celebration afterwards at Badshot Lea FC’s new ground in Wrecclesham.

Sales director at Rudridge, Paul Duke said: “Tony was a much loved colleague and he is sorely missed by so many of us here at Rudridge.

To undertake this challenge in his memory will be an honour.

To find out more or make a donation visit Just Giving

Photo (from left):  Tony Marshall with friends and Rudridge colleagues Mark Stacey and Richard May.

Recycling champions

Round & About

Guildford

Chilworth school celebrate being recycling champions

More than 11 tonnes of clothes and shoes were collected by schools across Surrey as part of The Salvation Army’s county-wide recycling competition.

And the winning school amassing 0.3 tonnes was Chilworth C of E Infant School who were awarded a trophy and certificate to honour their achievement.

The Recycle with Michael initiative aimed to divert thousands of tonnes of textiles from landfill and generate funds for The Salvation Army to help vulnerable people across the UK.

Chilworth C of E was one of 27 schools in Surrey which took part and gathered the largest donation of goods – worked out as the highest ratio of weight to pupils – of all the schools which took part in the region.

The school was visited by the scheme’s mascot Michael who met pupils and Year 1 teacher, Katie Porter and handed out the prizes.

The Recycle with Michael scheme aims to educate young people about the importance of recycling in a fun and engaging way and there are lots of free downloadable teaching materials available online.

Head of corporate partnershiops at Salvation Army Trading Company Td, Kirk Bradley congratulated Chilworth C of E Infant School on their efforts.

He said: “We were overwhelmed by the school’s response to the campaign and the dedication of pupils and staff in promoting and acting on the recycling message.

“Our van was full to the brim on collection day thanks to all the donations. Participation in the competition across the whole county has been amazing.

“We hope this is the start of a determined drive to give unwanted items a new lease of life – turning clothes, shoes and textiles into funds for local schools as well as for our charitable work.”

For more information and to get involved, visit www.recyclewithmichael.co.uk

Surrey Day

Round & About

Guildford

Celebrate Surrey Day with some fantastic fun for the whole family!

Surrey is celebrating just how special it is with one big day of events and activities on Saturday, 4th May.

Around 26 million people visit the county each year to enjoy the theatres, art galleries, restaurants, hotels and countless attractions and stunning countryside that make up Surrey.

There are a whole host of events planned for the day to celebrate just how great Surrey is with something for everyone, with many of the venues and events boasting special offers and discounts.

Among the highlights are The Sculpture Park near Farnham where you can enjoy exhibits from national and international artists on display in the arboretum and water gardens. Walk the two-mile trail that winds through 10 acres of natural beauty with art all along the way.

From art to vines and Denbies Vineyard in Dorking is offering free 45-minute tours (10am and 11am) for Surrey residents. Wander among the vines while listening to a recorded commentary. If you go into the Hogs Back Brewery Shop and say ‘Happy Surrey Day’ when you buy their draught golden ale Surrey Nirvana you can enjoy 10 per cent off.

National Trust property Clandon Park is offering free entry to Surrey folk on proof of residency. There’s the chance to explore the ruins and gardens and meet members of the team behind Clandon’s restoration who will give an insight into the work going on behind the scenes to restore it to its former glory after the fire in 2015.

There’s also a Surrey Day BBQ to enjoy at StanHill Court Hotel, Charlwood, bring the whole family along and enjoy entertainment and activities to celebrate how fab Surrey is.

If you’re celebrating it should involve some fizz and cake so pop along to Greyfriars Vineyard in Puttenham and stop by the Cellar Door Shop and sample some sparkle. Sales from cakes on the day will be given to charity.

There’s more food and drink to celebrate with on Surrey Day with a street party at The Silent Pool in Albury where a cluster of artisan producers will come together so you can sample gin and cocktails, award-winning English wine, locally brewed beer, cheese, Indian nibbles and ice cream all while enjoying live music. Take a stroll up to the vineyard to experience the views over the Surrey Hills and bring your children along to join in the vineyard toy trail.

For the more active among you, how about becoming a skywalker at the Skywalk Adventure in Esher – try out the 22 obstacles and 4 zip wires or go underground and climb down into the caves under Dorking to see where secret meetings were held and people went from pub to pub without going above ground.

There are a whole host of activities and events to enjoy, you’re sure to find something for you to get out and celebrate Surrey!

  For more details head to Visit Surrey

Leo Sayer Q&A

Round & About

Guildford

Leo Sayer talks to Peter Anderson about life and his show at Guildford’s G Live on Thursday, 30th May.

Q. When did you discover your talent for singing? “At a very early age as a boy chorister. I was taught by Father Demot MacHale, an Irish Catholic priest who, years later was also the celebrant at my wedding.”

Q. Who were your musical inspirations?  
“Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Van Morrison and lots of early Delta blues singers.”

Q. Do you remember the first concert you went to? “I think it was Chris Barber’s Jazz Band. I was really young, but my older sister smuggled me into the back of the hall. The highlight was that Lonnie Donnegan was in the band – he was the father of skiffle and sang wonderful old Leadbelly songs, like Midnight Special, during the concert.”

Q. Congratulations on your new album Selfie. What is your process when it comes to writing songs? “It comes from many different methods but mostly I get the ideas in my head and take it from there. Creating the tracks is a slow, gradual process, and since I am doing it all myself now, it requires loads of imagination and plenty of ingenuity. For me the creative process is linked to both the writing and recording.”

Q. What can audiences look forward to in these concerts? Well-known favourites as well as songs from the new album? Who is accompanying you? “We will play a couple of new songs from the album, but mostly it’s the hits and the most popular tracks from the albums. That’s what the audience have come to see. I’ve had the same band for a little while now. Elliot Henshaw plays drums, Dave Day is the guitarist, Stephen Williams is on keyboards, and Richard Hammond plays bass.”

Q. Do you have vocal training to keep your voice in trim on tour? “No, and I never warm up either – I just save it all for the stage.”

Q. Is Guildford a place that brings back good memories? “I played the final gig of the old Civic before they closed it. That was fun because it was an all-star band with Eric Clapton on guitar.”

Q. Is there a location or venue that is still on your wish list to perform at? “Wembley Stadium or Glastonbury would be nice!”

Q. Many people fondly remember your duet with Miss Piggy. Is there anyone else living, dead or fictional with whom you’d love to have a duet with? “Aretha Franklin. I met her once, but we never sang together… She did tell me that she liked my voice, though.”

Q. You have always been good at drawing; do you use art as a way to relax? “It’s more for work – designing record covers and stuff like that. I do find making music is more relaxing.”

Visit www.glive.co.uk or call G Live on 01483 369350. Also check out www.leosayer.com 

Halow250 bike ride

Round & About

Guildford

Halow riders out to shine with 250-mile charity cycle in Guildford

Say halo to the young people from the halow project at the end of the week as they attempt to ride 250 miles in Guildford.

They will be taking to the saddle on static bikes outside Waitrose from Friday, 3rd May to Sunday, 5th May for a 250-mile cycling challenge, partnering with halow’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the halow250 bike ride.

The young people will be attempting to mirror the ride, which takes place on the same days and covers 250 miles from London to France in just 48 hours, led by the charity’s patron, Damon Hill OBE.

The super static bike ride will feature two exercise bikes with halow young people rotating throughout the weekend and giving it everything they have got!

The event is led by the Building Futures Group, who are currently in training for their upcoming cycling challenge and hope to reach their goal of £1,500 for the halow project.

The halow project aims to create opportunities and support young people aged 16-35 with a learning disability enabling them to live independent, meaningful, fulfiled lives and become more involved in their local community.

The charity based in Guildford believes the young people it helps should have the same life experiences and chances as any other young person.
All money raised will support young people with a learning disability by providing a range of services to enable independence including social activities, a 1:1 buddy service and supported living.

Help the young people reach their fundraising by donating to their Justgiving page.

The London to France ride starts in Putney with cyclists going 80 miles through Surrey and Hampshire to Portsmouth to catch the ferry to St Malo. They will then ride towards Mont St Michel on roads used for a Tour de France route before boarding the ferry again and the final leg from Portsmouth to Guildford, having completed the 250 miles.

For more information about the halow project and the halow250, visit www.halowproject.org.uk  

Local giving for local need

Round & About

Guildford

The Community Foundation for Surrey is making a difference through its family of donors.

Local people who want to give back to their local community and make a difference. That’s the simple premise behind the Community Foundation.

The Community Foundation for Surrey is dedicated to enabling local philanthropy across the county, connecting people with charitable projects.

Foundation donors are individuals, families, businesses and charitable trusts which support the community by awarding grants to meet identified local needs.

The Community Foundation model was first established in the USA in 1914 and is now a global movement operating in more than 1,800 communities worldwide, with 46 in the UK. Since setting up in the UK, Community Foundations have collectively awarded more than £1billion in grants to support local charities and voluntary organisations in need.

You may be surprised to discover that there is such a need right here in Surrey which is consistently rated as among the best places to live in the UK. However, even here there are pockets of deprivation and people who face multiple challenges, from mental health to domestic abuse.

The foundation’s research, Surrey Uncovered, has exposed the real need that exists in the county, the needs which motivate the foundation to raise awareness of the importance of philanthropy and encourage local people to be part of the solution.

Last year the Community Foundation for Surrey awarded more than £1.4million in grants, the highest amount awarded in a single year since the charity was set up in 2005.

The foundation’s work to inspire philanthropy in Surrey has generated a total of £23million for causes in the community, helping them both on a day-to-day basis and in perpetuity.

Laura Thurlow, chief executive of the foundation, said: “While we are incredibly proud of what we have achieved, there is still much more work to be done. Sadly, last year, we were unable to support over £1.5million of requests from community groups working to make our county a better place.

“Our aim is to encourage and inspire more local people to join our growing family of donors. We offer a range of giving options and enable donors to give to the areas of importance to them and causes close to their heart.

“Whether you’re a local group looking for funding, or someone wanting to support the local community, we would love to hear from you, so please do get in touch!”

Top photo: CFS Staff Team – Rebecca Clay, Nicola Bartlett, Victoria Kear, Joe Crome, Laura Thurlow, Kate Peters, Louise Wickham, Deepa Craig

Did you know...

some 22,640 children live in poverty in Surrey

10,600 of Surrey children aged five to15 have a mental health disorder

24,000 girls and women in Surrey aged between 16 and 59 have been the victim of domestic abuse

30,000 carers are over the age of 65

  For more information about the foundation, please visit www.cfsurrey.org.uk