Author: adminSURREY

Maguire Joins Surrey LIB DEMS to Improve SEND Provision

Surrey’s six Lib Dem MPs – including Epsom & Ewell MP Helen Maguire – are requesting an urgent meeting with Surrey County council Leader Tim Oliver over the crisis in SEND provision in the County.

The County Council’s poor record on Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision has been brought to a head by a deadline imposed on parents by the County Council.

That deadline gives parents a month to decide on their child’s placement preference whereas last year the deadline was March of the following year.

“This is an unacceptably short timeframe for parents to choose their child’s school, especially during a time when schools are closed for the summer holidays. We request that you return the deadline for school preference selection to March”, says the MPs.

The issue of the deadline is just the tip of the iceberg for the Lib Dems who have pointed out to Oliver how dire SEND provision is in the county. They write:-

“Surrey is one of the poorest-performing authorities in the country:

  • Decline in EHCP timeliness – Timeliness has dropped from 57.6% in 2017 to 16.2% in 2023, compared to a national average of 50.3%.
  • Compromise in EHCP quality – To recover timeliness, there has been a severe compromise in quality of EHCP’s, with appeals increasing from 2.5% in 2014 to 4.7% in 2023, one of the highest appeal rates in the country. Parents won 98.3% of these appeals, showing a poor decision-making process.
  • Disproportionately high level of complaints – 230 cases escalated to the Local Government Ombudsman during 2023, which is 10 times the national average”.

Recently Elected Epsom & Ewell MP Helen Maguire said, “While meetings with MPs are scheduled, the new deadline means we need an earlier face to face meeting. Surrey County Council’s record on helping some of the most vulnerable in our society is a total disgrace and we’re not prepared to let this go unchallenged.

“If this Tory led County Council is not prepared to provide excellence in SEND provision, then we will find Liberal Democrat candidates for the new CC elections that will,” she said

letter to Surrey county council

Successful Tennis Programme for Ukrainian Families

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) Delivers a Successful Tennis Programme for Ukrainian Families

With the benefits of sport for mind, body, and socialising well-established, Mole Valley District Council’s Sports and Communities Officer wanted to find a way to deliver these benefits to Leatherhead’s Ukrainian guests displaced by the Russian invasion.

Through surveys, evening tennis sessions were identified as a popular option for the guests and were subsequently arranged at Christ Church Lawn Tennis Club at Leatherhead Leisure Centre. Funded by the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme, the Club was extremely accommodating and were able to deliver two sessions a week for 6 weeks. As well as developing tennis skills, the initiative helped to bring the Ukrainian community together, cultivate social and friendship connections, reduce loneliness, and improve their wellbeing.

Most of the participants had little experience in tennis, so coached sessions were organised to support the group. LTA accredited coach George Ellis was delighted to work with the new players. With George’s help they made big progress and saw their tennis skills improving. One of the participants said: “George is an excellent coach who is very helpful, patient and meticulous at establishing good technique”.

cllr Nick WrightCouncillor Nick Wright, MVDC’s Cabinet Member for Leisure & Tourism, said:

“Sport can be such a powerful tool to make connections, to heal and improve physical and mental health, as well as learn new skills. While the initial plan was for 12 sessions, following such a wonderful impact and feedback from Ukrainian guests, the sessions will continue.

To further support the group, tennis rackets have now been funded via our Wellbeing resources, meaning they can continue playing in their own time and into the future, helping to encourage their interest into the future. It’s great to see a programme like this come together to help our Ukrainian guests feel at home and enjoy the benefits taking part in a new sport. A big thank you to everyone involved in making this happen.”

Walk and Talk event on World Suicide Prevention Day

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council hosts walk and talk event on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is hosting a walk around Epsom Downs on 10th September, from 6pm-9pm, to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day. This event supports the council’s Suicide Prevention Action Plan and aims to raise awareness of support and resources available to help those suffering from mental health issues or directly impacted by the loss of someone to suicide.

Funding has been allocated from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to We Power On to help residents access support in the borough. Chris, founder of the organisation, will lead the walk for adults aged 18 and above.

Immediately after the walk, Epsom & Ewell Borough Council will host another event where Chris will talk about his story and the importance of having support available for people suffering from mental health problems. A scribe will create artwork which will then go on a ‘tour’ of the borough ending up at the Epsom Picturehouse on 10th October to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Day.

Residents will need to register to attend – 50 spaces are available for the walk and talk, and a further 50 spaces for those who only wish to attend the talk.

End Stigma Surrey is also supporting this event, they are dedicated to raising awareness and reducing the stigma of mental health and are part of the council’s wider Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee said: “Mental health issues can have a devastating effect on sufferers and those close to them. No one should have to face mental health challenges alone and it’s important as a council that we do all that we can to ensure vulnerable residents are informed, and can access, vital support when they need it.

Working with partners is an essential part of our Suicide Prevention Action Plan and I’d like to thank We Power On, End Stigma Surrey, and The Jockey Club for their support with this event.

I’d encourage anyone experiencing mental health issues to seek help. One life lost is too much.”

Chris, founder of We Power On said: “I’m pleased to be able to support the council with its walk and talk. Walking helped me especially during Covid lockdown and I’m looking forward to leading the walk across Epsom Downs and also sharing my experiences in the following event. It’s important for everybody to know that they’re not alone, encourage conversations and keep highlighting where those people suffering from mental health issues can turn to for support.”

More information can be found on the epsom-ewell.gov.uk/mentalhealth. This page also includes a link to the Event Registration Page(link is external) – residents will be asked for their name, email and address (Epsom & Ewell Borough Council privacy and cookies information).M

The Sticky Issue of Chewing Gum on Leatherhead’s Streets

Joint Waste Solutions Awarded Funding to Tackle the Sticky Issue of Chewing Gum on Leatherhead’s Streets. A grant from the Chewing Gum Task Force, administered by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, will help Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) clean up gum and reduce future gum littering.

 

Joint Waste Solutions is putting plans in place to remove the chewing gum that blights local streets after receiving grant funding of just under £7,000 to tackle the issue in Leatherhead. Work scheduled to last around five days began on Sunday 18 August 2024, focusing on the High Street and Church Street. The bid specified Leatherhead because the town had not been the subject of gum cleaning before, and this work supports the vision to ‘transform’ Leatherhead as part of MVDC’s regeneration programme.

The organisation is one of 54 across the country that have successfully applied to the Chewing Gum Task Force, now in its third year, for funds to clean gum off pavements and prevent it from being littered again.

Established by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, the Chewing Gum Task Force Grant Scheme is open to councils across the UK who wish to clean up gum in their local areas and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum from being dropped in the first place.

The Task Force is funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, with an investment of up to £10 million spread over five years.

Monitoring and evaluation carried out by Behaviour Change – a not-for-profit social enterprise – has shown that in areas that benefitted from the first year of funding, a reduced rate of gum littering was still being observed six months after clean-up and the installation of prevention materials.

Mole Valley Councillor Rosemary HobbsMVDC’s Cabinet Member for Community Services, Councillor Rosemary Hobbs, said: “Securing grant funding from Keep Britain Tidy and the Chewing Gum Taskforce and gum manufacturers to deep clean Leatherhead’s streets is a positive step and is something that I’m very pleased to support. I’m sure the town’s residents will be very happy to see gum removed from pavements and signage displayed that will help prevent future littering and keep the streets looking their best.”

Estimates suggest the annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for councils in the UK is around £7 million and, according to Keep Britain Tidy, around 77% of England’s streets and 99% of retail sites are stained with gum.

In its second year the task force awarded 55 councils a total of £1.56 million, helping clean an estimated 440,000 m2 of pavement – an area equivalent to the Vatican City.

By combining targeted street cleaning with specially designed signage to encourage people to bin their gum, participating councils achieved reductions in gum littering of up to 60% in the first two months.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, said: “Chewing gum litter is highly visible on our high streets and is both difficult and expensive to clean up, so the support for councils provided by the Chewing Gum Task Force and the gum manufacturers is very welcome.

“However, once the gum has been cleaned up, it is vital to remind the public that when it comes to litter, whether it’s gum or anything else, there is only one place it should be – in the bin – and that is why the behaviour change element of the task force’s work is so important.”

The Chewing Gum Task Force: The Chewing Gum Task Force brings together some of the UK’s major chewing gum producers (Mars Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle) in a new partnership to remove gum litter from UK high streets and prevent future littering. The scheme, administered by independent charity Keep Britain Tidy, sees the chewing gum firms invest up to £10 million over five years to achieve two objectives; cleaning up historic gum staining and changing behaviour so that more people bin their gum.  

 

In the two years of the scheme, specially designed signage to encourage people to bin their gum, combined with targeted street cleaning by the participating councils, achieved reductions in gum littering of between 60% and 80% in the first two months. Less gum litter was still being observed six months after clean-ups and the use of prevention materials.

Behaviour Change: www.behaviourchange.org.uk Behaviour Change is a not-for-profit social enterprise, founded in 2009. They create social and environmental change, with big ideas grounded in behavioural science. Through a 5-year innovation programme and collaboration with chewing gum manufacturer Mars Wrigley, they created and tested a range of ways to encourage responsible behaviour, which resulted in local reductions of gum littering by up to 64%. These interventions have now been made available for deployment by councils as part of the Gum Task Force Grant Scheme. Intervention toolkit: www.tacklegumlittering.co.uk

Keep Britain Tidy is a leading environmental charity. We set the standard for the management of parks and beaches, inspire people to be litter-free, to waste less and live more sustainably. We run campaigns and programmes including the Great British Spring Clean, Eco-Schools, Love Parks, the Green Flag Award for parks and green spaces and the Blue Flag/ Seaside Awards for beaches. To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy, our campaigns and programmes visit www.keepbritaintidy.org.

Joint Waste Solutions (JWS) manages a joint waste, recycling and street cleaning contract in Elmbridge, Mole Valley, Surrey Heath and Woking. The JWS team also develops countywide initiatives on behalf of the Surrey Environment Partnership which aim to increase recycling, reduce waste and tackle other environmental issues. Visit www.jointwastesolutions.org to find out more.

Girlguiding Positive Arts to Transform Walkway

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council work with Members of Girlguiding Epsom Division and Positive Arts to transform a tired walkway into beautiful community artwork.

 

Members of Girlguiding Epsom Division are working alongside internationally renowned street artists, Positive Arts, to create a large-scale community mural in Epsom town centre.

The mural will be a vibrant depiction of significant women from Epsom and Ewell’s cultural and historical past, including Lady Sybil Grant, designer and campaigner, Isabella Beeton, culinary author, Kathleen Riddick, one of the first female musical conductors in the UK and Nora Willis, the first British woman to work in postal delivery during World War I.

Dramatically improving the aesthetics of the area, which previously looked tired and in need of renovation, the community mural is being led by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Arts, Culture and Heritage team and will be funded via the UK Shared Prosperity fund.

Speaking of the creative collaboration, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee at the council said,

“The members of Girlguiding Epsom Division are doing an outstanding job on this new mural to champion female histories of our borough.

This project also echoes the council’s strategic ambitions within our Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy, which seeks to nurture and champion local creative talents while increasing access to creativity for all to enjoy.”

Mary ZoellerGirlguiding Surrey East Assistant County Commissioner, Mary Zoeller, added:

“We were delighted to be asked by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council to take part in this fantastic community project.  This is an exciting and rare opportunity for local Girlguiding members to help create a piece of artwork that will shine a light on some incredible, inspirational women with connections to Epsom. We were thrilled to be part of it.”

Keep an eye on Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s social media channels to stay informed about additional community murals that are planned for later this year around the borough.

New dates announced to help shape Leatherhead’s future

New dates announced to help shape Leatherhead’s future following the success of Swan Centre and Bull Hill consultations. 

Following the success of the first public exhibitions and webinar concerning initial proposals for a new mixed-use development at the Swan Centre and Bull Hill, The Leret Partnership is inviting the residents to upcoming events in Fetcham, Ashtead, and Bookham to continue the feedback process to help shape the plans further.

The Leret Partnership, a joint venture between Kier Property and Mole Valley District Council, held events in Leatherhead over two weeks between 11th and 20th July 2024 to listen to the public’s views on its emerging proposals to develop new high-quality homes alongside a range of new commercial facilities, local shops and green spaces, as part of the wider Transform Leatherhead programme.

In total there were 584 visits to the public exhibitions, with 399 feedback forms completed in person or online to date. There were 46 individual registrations to attend the webinar, with a total of 30 viewers watching live.

Demographic data among responders showed a healthy balance of age groups and genders, and the vast majority of those filling out surveys were local residents of Leatherhead. The information contained within the responses has given The Leret Partnership’s project team an important steer as they adapt the proposals to better reflect the needs and desires of local residents. This feedback will be taken into consideration as the plans continue to evolve, before a further round of pre-application consultation in due course.

The upcoming drop-in events in Fetcham, Ashtead, and Bookham will be taking place between 5:30pm and 7:30pm at the following dates and locations:

DateVenue
Monday 19 AugustSt Mary’s Church Fetcham, 10A The Ridgeway, Fetcham, Leatherhead KT22 9AZ
Thursday 5 SeptemberAshtead Peace Memorial Hall (Ralli Room), Woodfield Lane, Ashtead KT21 2BE
Wednesday 11 SeptemberThe Old Barn Hall Bookham (Main Hall), 55 Church Road, Great Bookham, Leatherhead KT23 3PQ

These events offer local residents in these villages an opportunity to find out more about the proposals and have their say. The project team wants to hear what these nearby communities think about these initial proposals.

The proposals aim to:

      • Develop high-quality new housing that is multi-generational and accessible to all.
      • Bring new multi-use buildings and places to Leatherhead, better serving the local community and reinforcing connections across the town through high quality design and redesigned public open space.
      • Enhance the retail offer and increase footfall to Leatherhead town centre, improving the public realm.

The consultation process will close at midnight on Monday 16th September 2024.

 

Leigh Thomas, Group managing director, Kier Property said:

“We’re proud of our ambitions to revitalise Leatherhead’s town centre, and the events so far have given us much food for thought as we adapt our plans according to the needs of the local community. It was important to us to ensure turnout was as high as possible, and reflected the demographic profile of the community, which was a success on both counts.

“We look forward to further understanding what people want to see from the new developments in the next set of events.”

Cllr Keira Vyvyan-Robinson, Cabinet Member for Property and Projects, Mole Valley District Council, said:

“It’s great to see so many people engaging with our consultation. We’ve been actively seeking views from residents, businesses and key stakeholders who will be directly affected by the development. Additionally, we would like to hear from people in the surrounding areas to understand if our proposals appeal to them and whether they might visit Leatherhead more often or even consider moving here.

“To further involve the wider community, we’ve decided to add three additional sessions to our public engagement on The Leret Partnership consultation. Two of these events are scheduled for September, ensuring that everyone with an interest has an opportunity to find a suitable date.”

For anyone unable to attend the events, the project website theleretpartnership.co.uk has information about the project, including a recording of the webinar, and consultation along with a range of options for submitting feedback.

 

The deadline for submission of comments to this consultation is 23:59 on Monday 16 September 2024. Any feedback submitted after this date may not be considered.

 

For more information about this consultation, how to reach the event venues, or for any further questions people can contact the project team directly by calling 0800 915 3598 or send an email to [email protected].

www.transformleatherhead.com

All Change at Surrey Connect Buses

Surrey Connect Bus service is changing from the 2nd September 2024.  

Surrey Connect is a digital on-demand bus service, known as a Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) solution, that is available in  parts of Surrey. It is a safe and reliable bus sharing service that will connect you to your local community.

The connect service uses accessible minibuses, with journey bookings made on a first come first served basis. Our software cleverly groups customer demands together in real-time.

During the last 2 years, journeys on the Surrey Connect service have increased dramatically. The service is so busy that passengers can’t get journeys when they want them. It’s really encouraging that so many people want to use Surrey connect but S.C.C need to make sure that the service can carry as many people as possible. Continuing with a door to door service will not allow them to do this.

Using a stop to stop approach will allow them to have more people travelling on shared journeys and reduce travel times for passengers. They know from their experience over the last 11 months with their other Surrey connect services, all operating on a stop to stop basis, that a short walking distance for the passenger can have a high positive impact on service efficiency.

Passengers will continue to be able to choose from a huge number of pick up and drop off locations within the designated operating zone. These pick up and drop off locations are a mixture of existing bus stops and new ‘virtual bus stops’ that they are introducing. These virtual bus stops have been located to ensure that existing users are no more than 400m away (approximately 4-5mins walk) from their usual door to door pick ups.

The stop to stop service will go live on 2nd September 2024. Bookings for door to door journeys will close on 25th August 2024. All journeys booked from the 26th August will be booked using the stop to stop service.

If a virtual bus stop doesn’t look suitable for you, please do get in touch so we can investigate but please bear in mind that a review will not necessarily mean we will be able to move the virtual stop outside your house. If you require an additional virtual bus stop please contact them at  [email protected]

A map showing the new service area will be available on their website shortly www.surreycc.gov.uk/surreyconnect

 

Surrey Police Seeks Move To Leatherhead

Surrey Police seeks to locate their Eastern Divisional Headquarters in Leatherhead. 

Surrey Police will seek to relocate their Eastern Divisional Headquarters from Reigate to Leatherhead, when the interim lease for Wray Park ends, following the temporary move in April 2024.

In 2018, Surrey Police purchased the former Electrical Research Association (ERA) and Cobham Industries site on Cleeve Road in Leatherhead with a view to developing a new, purpose-built headquarters from the ground up. However, following a review of the programme in November 2021, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Surrey Police Chief Officer team took the decision to retain Mount Browne, in Guildford, as the Force Headquarters, and redevelop the existing site.

The Leatherhead site has been on the commercial property market for sale since earlier last year. However, following the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in the construction of Reigate Police Station in September 2023, the Force has been reconsidering our wider operational requirements across the Eastern Division – comprising Reigate & Banstead, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, and Tandridge.

The Force relocated to the former Surrey Fire & Rescue Services (SFRS) headquarters at Wray Park, Reigate, on an urgent but temporary basis, agreeing a short-term lease of up to two years with Surrey County Council.

Since vacating Reigate Police Station, the Force has been working closely with commercial surveyors, Vail Williams, to explore numerous opportunities to locate the new Divisional HQ, including sites in Epsom, Dorking, Leatherhead, Reigate (including the redevelopment of Reigate Police Station itself) and Redhill.

Following this piece of work an operational recommendation was made to the Surrey Police Estates Board, chaired by Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend, to retain part of the Leatherhead site and to build a bespoke, permanent, Divisional Headquarters which will be fit for policing East Surrey now and in the long-term.

This recommendation was approved on 6 August 2024 at the Estates Strategy Board.

Tim De Meyer, Chief Constable, Surrey Police, said, “The desired move to Leatherhead shows our commitment to retain an operational base in the heart of the East of Surrey where we can maintain a visible policing presence in the communities we serve, to fight crime and protect people.

“This is an opportunity to build a new divisional headquarters which will be operationally fit for purpose and serve the East of our County for many years to come.”

Lisa Townsend, Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, said, “This is exciting news and if we get planning approval gives us a unique opportunity to build a bespoke divisional HQ that is fit for purpose for our hard-working police teams on the east of the county.

“The situation with RAAC at Reigate Police Station has presented us with some difficult and unexpected challenges and I would like to pay tribute to all those officers, staff and volunteers for their patience and understanding over the last year.

“I am well aware of the importance Surrey residents place on local policing, and I want to reassure people living in Reigate and Banstead that the neighbourhood presence in their communities will not be affected by these plans.
“There have been some tough choices to make but I believe that Leatherhead presents us with the best option in providing both value for money for Surrey residents and an Eastern HQ that is fit for a modern police force.”

Councillor Paul Kennedy, Mole Valley District Council’s Cabinet Member for Internal Services and Security, said: “We are delighted at the prospect of Surrey Police’s Eastern Divisional Headquarters moving to Leatherhead. While any proposals remain subject to planning permission, this potentially signals yet another boost to the town, alongside the progress of our Transform Leatherhead initiative. With the addition of an HQ and around 400 members of staff comes the promise of a boost in footfall into the town centre and a positive impact on the local economy.”

As part of the Force’s commitment to having a physical policing presence in every borough and district, further decisions were made at the Estates Strategy Board to ensure that Safer Neighbourhood Teams will operate out of new sites, to be identified, in Epsom & Ewell, Reigate & Banstead, and Tandridge. This will ensure the delivery of a consistent service, and coverage across the County. There will be a minimum of one Front Counter facility per division, enabling members of the public to access police services. While locations will be reviewed, there will be no fewer than we currently provide, and therefore no reduction in service.

The decision to retain Leatherhead as a key operating base comes as Surrey Police awaits a decision on their planning application for the redevelopment of the Mount Browne HQ which, if approved, could see redevelopment begin in Spring 2025.

 

Mole Valley Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days celebrates 30 years this year. From Friday 6 to Sunday 15 September 2024, Mole Valley will be celebrating Heritage Open Days by opening the doors of its most fascinating buildings and offering talks on many intriguing, local subjects – all available free of charge. 

Heritage Open Days is the largest festival of history and culture in England and this year marks the 30th anniversary since its inception. In Mole Valley, more than 50 events and activities take place across the district over the ten-day period. With the diverse range of guided walks, talks, exhibitions and more on offer, there’s no doubt that everyone will find something of interest.

 

This year’s national theme is ‘Routes – Networks – Connections’. Our volunteers – who dedicate their own time to enable each event and activity to take place – will impart their enthusiasm and knowledge to educate and inspire visitors. Experience free access to a number of heritage sites, including historic buildings, beautiful gardens, and areas of natural beauty that might otherwise be closed to the public.

 

Heritage Open Days in Mole Valley launches with a fascinating event on Friday 6 September, with speakers from The Charles Close Society for the Study of Ordnance Survey Maps presenting an in-depth look at a variety of maps from many sources and ages. Pre-booking is required, so to secure your place and to find out more information, visit the Heritage Open Days website.

 

It is best to plan in advance, particularly as some events require pre-booking as spaces will be limited. An online version of Mole Valley’s Heritage Open Days brochure can be explored now, with hardcopy versions available to pick up from locations across Mole Valley including libraries, the reception at Mole Valley District Council’s Pippbrook offices and the Letherhead Institute in the coming weeks.

 

Heritage Open DaysCouncillor Nick Wright, MVDC’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, said: “This packed Mole Valley brochure shows that the Open Days will offer many fascinating and surprising events and activities across the district. The fact that this festival has reached 30 years speaks volumes for its enduring popularity and continued success. Make sure you don’t miss out this September, and discover what Heritage Open Days has to offer.”

Let Us Play asks Epsom & Ewell Colts

Epsom & Ewell Colts FC, a grassroots football club that has been a staple in the community for years, is facing an impending crisis due to premier League Club’s foundation. 

Blenheim High School, a core training venue for Epsom Colts girl’s grassroot players for over 20 years, has cancelled their booking at short notice to make way for their selective Chelsea FC Foundation. This decision affects 170 girls from Under-8s upwards who now have no place to train and
play the sport they love. This is not the first time Epsom & Ewell have experienced such issues, with Chelsea being given preferential treatment over our previous existing bookings at Nonsuch Girls School.

The club, run solely by local volunteers, has provided access to football for boys and girls for half a century. They do this not only for the love of the game, but because they know how essential it is to our community, and the physical and mental well-being and of our young people. Often, their teams are the crucial ‘third space’ that children and young people need
outside of home and school.

Nicola Brown,Head of Women and Girls Development at Epsom and Ewell ColtsNicola Brown,Head of Women and Girls Development at Epsom and Ewell Colts. said “It’s hugely frustrating – having run every single initiative from Wildcats to Squad Girls, to encourage girls to play football, and to have increased our numbers in the club (from a
handful to 364 female players), to then have to undo all of that hard work because we have lost our training venue to Chelsea. It feels like a real kick in the teeth”, “It is not the kind of comradery that we need in girls and women’s football.’’

Mary Sheard, a parent from one of the U8’s Girls team said, “Caitlin was really looking forward to getting back to training with her football team after the summer, so we are really upset that their training venue had been lost. The girls in the team have formed such a great supportive bond, and they are all so worried about what will happen to the team.’’

The loss of the venue is being felt throughout the year groups.
Steve Luff, Manager and parent. said “This decision undermines the very essence of community sports. Grassroots football is the lifeblood and future of the sport, nurturing young talent and fostering community
spirit,” “It’s a grave mistake to prioritise commercial interests or go for the cachet of a professional club over the development of local athletes,
who represent the true future of football.”

He continues: “Our U18 girls grassroots football team faces immense disappointment as we have been ousted from our local school training facility and replaced by a professional club.” The vice-captain of the team, Elsie added “So much for encouraging girls, (and boys) football. How disappointing.’’

colts“The decision to displace our players in favour of a professional club’s pathway after so many years has been hard to take. It also goes against the objectives and aims of the
school listed in their last annual report,’’ said Pauline Russell, Chairwoman of the Club. ‘It
does not feel like the school has considered the needs for their facilities by the local community, which would have improved the lives of local inhabitants as noted in their Trustees’ report. We’d also welcome further conversations with Chelsea, to see if they could support us
with our venue crisis.”

Epsom & Ewell Colts Club has been actively campaigning for additional facilities and funding to meet the growing demand in the local area for many years. With no guarantees of new sites being built, the recent development only exacerbates the problem, leaving our young athletes without a suitable venue, potentially for years to come. The shortage of training spaces in the area has already been a significant challenge for
grassroots sports clubs over the years. Christchurch United, a local church-led mini soccer centre has also suffered from the recent changes at Blenheim.

With charges rising 220% to account for the expenditure to resurface their pitch, it is now unaffordable for the club to continue their sessions there. They are also now looking for an alternative location for their Saturday morning sessions – no small task when venues with availability are
scarce.

Pauline continues to say “Sports play a critical role in the development of young people, offering not only physical benefits but also teaching vital life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and resilience,We are calling on the
community, local authorities, and Chelsea FC to recognise the importance of grassroots sports and to work with us to find a solution that allows these 170 girls to continue their training on Thursdays without disruption. We are not against the development of a professional academy, and we have had many players selected from our club to further themselves at academies, but it should not come at the expense of displacing grassroots players who rely on these facilities. We need to look after this ecosystem and protect the
sport at grassroots level.’’

When Blenheim School was contacted regarding the issue, they were apologetic but steadfast in their decision. An offer was made to reinstate a two-hour slot on a Tuesday until Christmas, but that only helps four teams that will face the same issue come January.

If any local schools, clubs or venues can help with their training crisis, please contact
[email protected]

A petition has been set up if you like to sign it CLICK HERE

Press release supplied by Epsom & Ewell Colts.