Events

Chairman’s Day 2026

16th September 2026, 11:00 - 15:15

 

Chairmans’ Day 2026

Date: Wednesday 16th September

Time: starts 11am and finishes at 3.15pm

 

 

We begin on the University’s Stag Hill campus with a guided tour of its remarkable collection of outdoor sculpture, which sits in the little known but extremely scenic campus grounds. More than 20 works have been commissioned or acquired over several decades, effectively creating an open-air sculpture park. Many of you may have seen the Surrey Stag at the opening to the campus, recalling both the University’s emblem and the medieval Royal Park of Guildford.

Particularly important pieces that few get to see include John W. Mills’ bronze of Alan Turing, who spent part of his childhood in Guildford; Bridget McCrum’s striking Knife Birds; and, beside the lake, William Pye’s reflective Narcissus and Diane Maclean’s The Spine. We will also encounter the extraordinary Geodesic Dome, where sculpture, architecture and engineering meet as well as the many other special pieces originally curated by former Society member Pat Grayburn, who sadly died earlier this year.

At lunchtime we head to Lakeside Restaurant, which is much more than simply a place to eat. Part of the University’s renowned School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Lakeside is a working restaurant and an important teaching facility but provides top quality food and affords a spectacular panorama of the beautiful University of Surrey campus. Students studying International Hospitality Management gain practical experience alongside hospitality professionals, learning everything from food preparation and service to menu planning, budgeting, marketing and restaurant management. Our lunch therefore provides another opportunity to see how the University combines academic education with real-world professional experience.

After lunch we turn from the visual and culinary arts to the performing arts with a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Guildford School of Acting (GSA) and Ivy Arts Centre.

With a history stretching back more than 90 years, GSA has developed an international reputation for training actors, musical theatre performers and theatre professionals. Our visit will introduce us to its professional-standard facilities, including performance and rehearsal spaces and the technical infrastructure required to bring a production to the stage. We will discover some of what happens away from the audience’s view – from rehearsal and performance to scenery, costume, lighting, sound and stage management.

Programme:
11.00am – Meet at Lakeside for tea/coffee / Rik Medlik Building foyer
11.30am – Guided Sculpture Tour
1.00pm – Lunch at Lakeside Restaurant
2.30pm – Behind-the-scenes tour of Guildford School of Acting and Ivy Arts Centre
3.15pm – Tour concludes

The day offers three very different glimpses behind the scenes at the University of Surrey – its art and campus heritage, its innovative approach to hospitality education and the world of professional theatre training.

**2 COURSE LUNCH MENU OPTIONS ARE**

Mains:

A – Pomegranate Chicken – GF Tender chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and sticky pomegranate molasses sauce, served with fresh pomegranate seeds, a spiralised potato nest, and a pressed vegetable pavé. (SULPHITES, SOYA)
B – Pork Schnitzel and café de Rosheen butter – A thin tenderised crumbed pork leg schnitzel, with a pickled red cabbage and a café Rosheen curry butter (SULPHITES, EGG, MUSTARD)
C – Sweet Potato Gnocchi – Handmade gnocchi, pan fried in a pine nut butter, with shredded sundried tomato, baby spinach and basil veil (MILK, TREENUTS, WHEAT)

Desserts:

D -Chancellors’ Pudding, Custard-soaked sponge with tangy dried fruit, steamed and stooped in a hot fig sauce (EGG, MILK WHEAT)
E – Chocolate Truffle Torte, Amaretti biscuit base, topped with a rich Amaretto infused truffle torte and a white chocolate cap (WHEAT, MILK, SOYA)

*Please write the letters for your chosen main and dessert in the comments section when making your booking. If you have any allergies or dietary requirements please email them to us at info@surreyhillssociety.org so that we can pass them on to the kitchen.*

This event is not suitable for children or dogs.

Please note that the sculpture tour involves some walking around the Stag Hill campus, including slopes and occasional uneven surfaces. We will aim to follow an accessible route suitable for the group.

The cost to attend this event is: Members: £40 and Non-Members £50

Booking will close on the 8th September at 1pm.

By continuing and making a booking you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to the Terms & Conditions specified in our Cancellation Policy and Responsibility Statement, both of which can be viewed by clicking here

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