Surrey is home to some of our nation’s oldest trees – many are over one thousand years old! To celebrate these trees, we are creating a special Children’s Book with children’s author Lucy Reynolds, children’s illustrator Katie Hickey, and a group of budding book creators from a local primary school.

You also have the chance to be part of this exciting project! We are asking children all across Surrey to help us design the endpapers that will go inside the cover of the book. Read on to find out more about how to be involved…

What is this competition?

We are running a children’s design competition to help create the endpapers for The Thousand Year Tree children’s book, which is being created to celebrate Surrey’s ancient trees.

This book will be distributed to schools and libraries in Surrey and is being developed as a creative collaboration between Lucy Reynolds, author; Katie Hickey, illustrator; the Surrey Hills Society; the Guildford Book Festival; Surrey County Council; and Weyfield Primary Academy, Guildford.

What are endpapers?

Endpapers are the pages that are glued inside the front and back covers of a book. These are often beautifully designed and are a very important part of the overall look and feel of a book.

Here are some examples:

Who can take part in the competition?

Any child living in Surrey aged between 4 and 11.

Are there any age categories?

There are two age categories for the competition:
● Key Stage 1 (age 4 to 7)
● Key Stage 2 (age 7 to 11)

What is the competition brief?

We would like you to design the endpapers for The Thousand Year Tree children’s book.

You can use any medium you wish – paint, pencils, chalk, oils, pastels

You can include textures from nature if you wish, such as rubbings or collage.

We will be looking for designs that are:

● Botanical
● Beautiful
● Informative
● Themed around trees
● Themed around nature
● Themed around the passing of time or seasons

When is the deadline?

Wednesday 4th September 2024

How do I apply?

● Collect an application form from your local library or download here
● Create your design using the template, keeping within the border
● Add your name, age and contact details to the form
● Return your completed application to your local library in Surrey.

What is the prize?

We will have a first, second and third prize for each age group. Prizes include book bundles and bookshop tokens.

The overall winner of the competition will have their design printed within the endpapers of The Thousand Year Tree book.

How will I know if I have won?

Please ensure that you have provided a grown ups’ email for each application. Winners and runners up will be notified by email by the middle of October. If you haven’t heard from us by then, please do assume that you have not been lucky this time, but thank you very much for taking part!

Will I get my design back?

Unfortunately, we won’t be able to return competition entries. If your design is very precious to you, please do photocopy it before you submit it.

Who do I contact for help?

For any questions, please contact info@surreyhillssociety.org  For full competition terms and conditions, please click here

PROJECT OFFICER – GROWING TOGETHER: INCLUSION AND CONSERVATION IN THE SURREY HILLS

Reporting to (post) Project and Volunteer Manager
Hours of work Full time preferred, 37.5 hours per week. Please note we will consider applications for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
Location: Surrey Hills Estate Office – Warren Farm Barns, Dorking, RH5 6DG, site visits across the Surrey Hills National Landscape, wider Surrey County and working from home
Salary £28,000 pro rata

About the Surrey Hills Society:

The Surrey Hills Society is an independent charity promoting the positive enjoyment and conservation of the Surrey Hills National Landscape for those who live, work in, or visit the area. The Society encourages people to explore and learn about the special qualities and distinctiveness of the area through walks, talks, events, practical conservation, and volunteering.

The Role:
An 18-month employment contract with the Surrey Hills Society (reviewed after a probationary period of 3 months) to deliver The National Lottery Heritage Funded Project ‘Growing Together: Diversity and Inclusion in the Surrey Hills’.

About the project:
The project will be based in the Surrey Hills National Landscape. The ability to enjoy and appreciate our protected landscapes has been a fundamental part of our lives since the conception of the National Parks and Countryside Access Act in 1949. However, it is apparent that they are disproportionately enjoyed by certain sectors of the community, leaving inequalities in access and a lack of confidence in using the natural environment. We need to deliver better outcomes for communities facing these inequalities.
This project aims to increase opportunities for inclusivity in the countryside by working with three primary target groups. These are Surrey Choices, supporting adults with learning disabilities, Surrey Coalition of Disabled people which represents and supports Disabled People, and Surrey Minority Ethnic Forum (SMEF) which represents more than 60 multi-ethnic community groups in Surrey.
The first two months of the project will be spent facilitating workshops with our target groups to build relationships, trust and co-create the activity programme. Through a year-long programme of co-designed nature-based activities, we wish to increase confidence in the countryside, build outdoor and conservation skills and provide greater opportunities for people to learn about the landscape. Over the course of a year, we hope to engage with 100 participants and run 4-5 activity sessions per month. This will involve working closely with participants from each of our target groups and their partner organisations, as well as a wide-variety of site-managers, conservation organisations and farmers and landowners. Through greater representation, and empowering communities, this project aims to create a legacy for diversity and inclusion in the Surrey Hills going forward, ensuring that heritage features such as the Surrey Hills National Landscape can be accessed and enjoyed by all.

Key areas of work:
To work with the Project and Volunteer Manager on leading and managing the planning, delivery, and evaluation of ‘Growing Together: Inclusion and Diversity in the Surrey Hills’ in close collaboration with the Surrey Hills Society Team and a Project Steering Group.

This includes:

• • Building trust and relationships with partner organisations and acting as a point of contact for project participants and partners.
  • Facilitating taster and workshop sessions to assist with the planning of a co-designed nature-based and conservation volunteering activity programme.
  • Organisation and delivery of the co-designed activity programme, considering access needs and requirements, as well as feedback throughout project. This includes, identifying appropriate sites, transport, and activities and overall coordination throughout.
  • Bringing partners such as existing volunteer networks, site-managers, and conservation organisations together to deliver activities as well as build relationships with project participants.
  • Facilitate feedback and surveys in partnership with Surrey University’s Environmental Psychology department, to monitor project progress and evaluate project outcomes. This includes project reporting and story capture on a variety of platforms.
  • Coordinating with local landowners and site-managers to identify opportunities to work together to deliver conservation and access projects.
  • Assisting with the delivery of practical conservation tasks including, incorporating participant sessions into community volunteering open days, corporate team building days and community group events
  • Working closely with the Surrey Hills Board and Surrey Hills Arts to deliver the project aims as well as assisting with Surrey Hills-wide events, including an annual symposium at Surrey University.
  • Working in partnership with other organisations such as Surrey Wildlife Trust and The National Trust to deliver the project outcomes.
  • Promotion of the project including special offers to National Lottery Players.
  • Co-creating digital assets to promote greater representation to communities.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Empathy and understanding of the value of diversity and integration.
• The ability to build effective relationships and trust.
• Open mindedness and a recognition of the barriers that certain members of the community face.
• A passion for the environment, UK wildlife and the countryside.
• Confidence in leading groups of people.
• Good organisational and IT skills and the ability to think on your feet/be resourceful.
• The ability to self-motivate and manage your own calendar.
• The ability to work as part of a team and in partnership with others, including with those who work within other organisations.
• Enthusiasm and commitment to the role.
• Clean UK driving licence and access to a car.
• Subject to DBS check.

Desirable:

• Relevant experience in relation to conservation and the environment.
• Knowledge of the local area and local communities.
• Background of working with minority groups.
• First Aid trained.
• Knowledge of social media.

Job Outcomes/Opportunities:

Experience of working within a charitable organisation and as part of a National Landscape.
Experience working with a wide range of people, including those with different requirements and abilities.
Opportunity for networking with various Surrey based organisations which may help with future employability and career prospects.
Training courses (subject to availability) which may include First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, Disability Awareness, and Volunteer management.
Practical work experience including assisting and leading with practical conservation tasks.
Development of time management, organisational and interpersonal skills.
Extensive experience of event planning, including the management of tools, logistics, creation of risk assessments and delivery.
Excellent opportunity to make a marked difference on the diversity of visitor and volunteer profiles in the Surrey Hills.

Job Information:
The contract will be for a duration of 18 months. Standard working hours will be from 9am-5:30pm. Normal working hours will be Monday-Friday, but you will be required to work weekends when the project requires. Due to the nature of the target audience some activity sessions will have to be at weekends and occasionally during the evening. The appointed candidate is expected to fully participate in all activities offered to them, but any additional working will be accounted for through time off in lieu (TOIL).
The successful candidate will be based out of the Surrey Hills Estate Office, which is located at Warren Farm Barns, Headley Lane, Mickleham Dorking, RH5 6DG. However, you will also be expected to travel to a wide variety of sites across the area as well as work from home.
You will be entitled to 25 days holiday (pro rata if less than 37.5 hours per week) plus bank holidays. Travel expenses will be agreed and paid for. You will also be entitled to a pension once the probationary period has passed.
You must have a full UK driving licence and have access to a car to reach different sites and occasionally transport equipment.
Salary: £28,000 pro rata.

Application Process:
Please submit your CV as well as the completed application form on why you are interested in this particular role and how your experience shows you are suitable for the post. Please submit this via email to chairshs@gmail.com.
Following applications, there will be an interview process to understand further why you would like the role and why you think you would be suitable.
Closing date: Friday 19th April.

Equal Opportunities
We are committed to having an inclusive and diverse organisation and encourage applications from those with backgrounds, which may be underrepresented in our sector, including people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people with disabilities.

Acknowledgement statement:

Growing Together is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to fund a Project Officer to support this project and to create a legacy for diversity and inclusion in the Surrey Hills going forward, ensuring that heritage features such as the Surrey Hills National Landscape can be accessed and enjoyed by all.

About the heritage fund statement:

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.

Last weekend 6th Woking Rangers, Guides and Brownies along with parents joined forces with Surrey Hills Society to plant 1800 plants in a new mixed native hedgerow for farmer Jim, in the Surrey Hills.

‘What an incredible experience, a great Sunday morning out in the fresh air, amazing to be part of something that will be there for years to come’.

‘Lots of happy faces, with a very well organised event, we achieved more that we thought’.

The feedback from the girls and parents who felt such pride and a phenomenal sense of success , with the girls buzzing from the experience.

Hedgerows are such an important part of our ecosystems and to be able to volunteer a Sunday morning to such an important activity: increasing connectivity for wildlife; providing a future home and assisting with carbon capture are all so vital.

GirlGuiding World Thinking Day for Girl Guides and Scouts around the world is the 22nd February, our founders birthday. It is a time to think about each other as a world movement and the important issues we all face. The theme this year is ‘Our World, Our Thriving Future.’

At 6th Woking we had a extremely incredible experience learning what we can do to build a better future along with understanding what we can do in support and be part of a better environmentally sustainable world by taking small steps but very important ones for our planet.

We are enormously indebted to Surrey Hills for giving us this opportunity and we would highly recommend whatever age you are to support local communities and farmers to take these small steps for a better future for us all.

‘A Guide respects all living things and takes care of the world around her’.

Article written by 6th Woking Leader – Julie Laidlaw.

Surrey Hills Society lead – Christa Emmett, Project and Volunteer Coordinator

On the hottest day of the year, Saturday 13 August, we enjoyed a very interesting visit to the Holmesdale Museum which is not generally open to the public and a big thank you goes to Andy and Carol Sandford who were very helpful giving up their own time as volunteers to welcome us.

The Holmesdale Natural History Club Museum promotes the study of natural history, local history, archaeology and geology in the area of Reigate.

There is large collection of stuffed birds, local history and archaeological collections.

After visiting the museum, we stopped at The Rose Room to not only enjoy a choice of drink and delicious cake or scone but benefit from their most welcomed air conditioning.

Then we walked to the caves which are as amazing as they are extensive. They have been used for a variety of purposes over many years and certainly for mining of the sand at one point. They are all sandstone and the Wealden Mining and Caving Society are still digging and extending the system in the western cave.

The eastern cave has an exhibition of second World War memorabilia as it was used as a shelter, and also of provision for a nuclear attack, see the picture of two attendees in the Anderson shelter below.

The Baron’s Cave is very old as it was under the castle which was built shortly after 1066 – little is known apart from conjecture and legend but it is all very interesting.

Our guides were excellent and in particular Lesley Eggleston who was not only very knowledgeable but also the organiser of the tours.

Many thanks to all those at the museum, the café and the caves who made our day possible.

Stella and Martin Cantor

In 2021, Natural England finally agreed to take on a review of the boundaries of the Surrey Hills AONB. For many years there had been talk of the need for a review – indeed the discussion was already ongoing when the Surrey Hills Society was established back in 2008! Our Surrey Hills AONB was only the second to be created and the boundaries which were agreed then were subject to significant debate amongst local councils and other influential bodies. Some excluded areas were subsequently given a degree of protection as Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) but should probably have been included in the original designation.

This current review aims to redefine the boundaries by including areas which adjoined the 1958 boundaries but which can be shown to have equivalent (or indeed greater) landscape value that the already included parts. The map on the Surrey Hills AONB Boundary Review website highlights where these ‘Evaluation Areas’ are located.

It has been stated that this is a “once in a generation opportunity” for the boundaries to be reviewed and relocated. It is, therefore, very important that those who know the area best – residents such as yourselves with an interest in the Surrey Hills plus local councils, countryside organisations and charities or others with local knowledge – all play their part in providing the information required to make this review robust.

The review is ‘data driven’. Natural England has appointed consultants to undertake the data gathering and the emphasis is on ‘facts not emotions’. It is important that all the decisions taken can be justified on the basis of what makes the particular area a ‘special landscape’. The fact of it being ‘nice’ or ‘well used’ is not sufficient. The clue is in the title – Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – although there is an acknowledgement that all our landscapes are the result of human intervention over many centuries.

So, if you are able to use your local knowledge to highlight features, history, wildlife, biodiversity and all those other elements which add up to the term “outstanding”, then you should be contributing to the review by completing the “Call for Evidence” form on the review website. This stage of the process appears to be placing significant emphasis on the provision of photographs to support the written evidence so it is worth digging out pictures which you may have taken in recent times (few places look at their best on a grey winters day!).

Make sure that your local parish council or conservation charity is also getting involved and playing its part. Many already are but with the deadline for responses being at the end of January, it is worth checking that the Christmas or Covid disruptions haven’t caused them to miss the tight timelines for discussing and responding to the review.

The outcomes of this review will impact the Surrey Hills for many decades and will influence the degree of protection or development across the entire area. Remember that once land is defined as outside a ‘protected’ designation, it is far more vulnerable and once it has gone, it has gone forever. So don’t just think ‘it’s someone else’s problem’. Get involved and help to conserve the Surrey Hills and surrounding areas for future generations.

Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is a GP-led organisation, responsible for planning and buying health services for the local population out of a budget of around £1.5 billion. Working with Surrey County Council, Surrey Heartlands CCG is one of seven national “test and learn” sites for Green Social Prescribing, which aims to connect people to the health benefits of nature and green spaces to improve mental health outcomes. More information is on the Healthy Surrey website.

The two-year project will review green interventions and work together with residents on new initiatives to assess effectiveness for a variety of health and wellbeing issues, including those surrounding people who experience health inequality.

Activities can include walking, cycling, community gardening and food-growing projects, and practical conservation tasks such as tree planting. For people who need help to get involved this could include supported visits to local green spaces, or waterways and other outdoor activities.

Part of the project includes working with a series of partners to identify the green opportunities already available in Surrey – the Society is involved in the consultation which includes health, district and borough councils, as well as voluntary community and faith sector organisations. The aim is to ensure that nature-based activities are easy to find and to develop new initiatives that are culturally relevant whilst helping the green sector become a more accessible place for our diverse population. Surrey Heartlands are also developing a quality standard which recognises good practice for Green Social Prescribing in Surrey.

The Society is naturally extremely supportive of this initiative and as the project develops over the next two years we hope to build on the initial research that we facilitated through the Into the Wild project. We are already working with a number of landowners and youth groups to encourage hedge planting through the Surrey Hills and we also see opportunities for Society volunteers to assist with green social prescribing opportunities such as guided walks and conservation activities.

Editors Note: The article “Social Prescribing – at local level” looks at how one medical centre in the area is putting these principles into practice.

In our newsletters, we always like to include articles by guest writers. To find out how Social Prescribing is being applied in practice, we sent one of our newsletter team along to her local surgery to find out more. The article below was put together by the team at Binscombe Medical Centre to describe their approach.

Patients contact our GP surgery for a huge variety of reasons.

There is not always a medication that we can prescribe to patients; some may already be on the maximum dose of their medication and some may have a clinical reason why they cannot be prescribed the most effective treatment, and there are some things that medication is just not appropriate for. In its place, there are lots of therapies that can be hugely beneficial, in a way that medication can never do.

At Binscombe Medical Centre, we recognise the connection between our physical, mental and social wellness and we are passionate about this holistic approach to health and wellbeing. We believe there is great value in taking regular exercise to help our patients stay well so, in 2017, we set up our weekly Walking For Health Group that takes place every Tuesday. The walks help improve mobility and are beneficial for patients struggling with respiratory conditions such as COPD and cardiac conditions. There are also great benefits to patients’ mental health and wellbeing due to the social connection of the walks. The human connection part of this is immeasurable and we have had many patients who came along because they had been feeling isolated or needed some social interaction. We have two distances of walk to cater for all abilities with more information on our website.

On a different venture, we are also in the process of setting up Farncombe Community Garden. This is a project which aims to benefit both patients and the local community. Gardening has a range of proven health benefits for everyone involved; for example, physical activity levels are increased, a sense of community is created and mental health can be improved.

All our health care professionals advocate outdoor exercise both for themselves and our patients, especially as we are located in one of the most beautiful parts of Surrey. It is often more applicable and more powerful than anything we can prescribe even when the issue feels insurmountable.

As well as these outdoor activities we also offer other non-medical therapies such as our GP Chaplain and we are looking into setting up a support group for parents who had a Lockdown Birth. More information on these and other initiatives can be found on our Binscombe Medical Centre website.

Carbon Zero Guildford have launched a new community space “ZERO” with a view to driving a community-led climate action plan. Promoting education and solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation, ZERO aims to be a vibrant town centre hub that brings together the work happening locally to help the borough of Guildford and its surrounding area to adapt to a changing planet.

The concept behind Zero is that only around 30% of Guildford’s emissions can be directly tackled by the borough or county council. The remaining 60-70% must be addressed through strategies aimed at reducing consumption, better energy management and waste reduction. Central to this plan is community cohesion; ZERO aims to bring together individuals, projects and organisations and offer resources and platforms for collaboration to enable greater benefits than each individual project alone.

The Society is delighted to be included as an exhibitor at ZERO and is strongly supportive of its aims. We believe that there are opportunities for mutual cooperation, particularly in relation to the Society’s key objects of promoting enjoyment and understanding of the Surrey Hills AONB and encouraging conservation of the landscape and its wildlife. The Society has a wide network of connections that enable it to promote partnership in the community. We are constantly seeking to develop these connections and there is huge opportunity for encouraging volunteers to become involved in environmental protection and restoration, which is one of the key strategic areas identified by ZERO.

ZERO is also focused on 4 other strategic areas laid out by the Climate Change Commission as crucial for mitigation and adaptation to the Climate and ecological crisis. These include:
• Clean energy – with a focus particularly on community energy, support for renewables and smart energy systems
• Active travel infrastructure and behavioural change
• A circular economy and community re-use schemes
• Low carbon solutions, retrofitting, and energy efficiency

Projects currently being undertaken by ZERO include a climate cinema showing films that focus on the climate and environment, a green read/book share, and a community seed bank geared towards protecting biodiversity. They have also received funding from Transition Network to set up a mini vertical farming installation.

Why not visit ZERO at 14-16 Friary Street Guildford GU1 4EH or find out more on their website here