Category: Children

Surrey Police Back to School Safety Advice

Following a long and hot summer, most children are going back to school this week. With this in mind, Surrey Police thought it would be a good opportunity for them to share with you some top safety tips for your loved one’s return to the classroom.

Quick Tips:

  • If you can, teach your child one emergency contact number and also write it down and put in their school bag.
  • Children should be taught basic road safety such as always walking on the pavement away from the kerb and only crossing at safe places like zebra crossings.
  • If your child gets lost or approached by a stranger on their way home from school, they should always try to go back to school or to a nearby shop and ask to speak to a staff member.
  • When sharing a child’s first day of school on social media, make sure to not share too much detail. Information such as full names, nicknames, school names, teacher names and personal home information, should be strictly avoided. These details could be used by someone with negative motivations to trick your child.

For children at secondary school, Surrey Police have included some more age-specific safety advice below:

  • Keep personal data safe online by activating 2-factor authentication across all messaging accounts, emails and gaming channels.
  • A reminder that screenshots can now make any ‘temporary’ photo or message permanent and shareable. If they are worried about any explicit images of themselves on the internet, ‘Report Remove‘ from Childline can help them confidentially report any images for removal.
  • If a young person is worried about a potential crime taking place within their social group or at school, but they don’t want to call us directly, they can report completely anonymously to Fearless.

Surrey Police hope this quick summary has been useful and wish everyone a safe return to school.

Free Football Sessions in Epsom & Ewell

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council offers free community football sessions for 10 to 16-year-olds starting 24 August

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is pleased to announce that free community football sessions will be available for young people aged 10 to 16 who live in the borough, from 24 August 2026 to 31 March 2027. This programme will be delivered by YOUfF (Young Ones United Football Foundation) with monthly life lesson mentoring sessions also available for participants.

Community football sessions will take place three days a week at Court Recreation Ground, with dedicated sessions for different age groups and genders. Spaces for up to 21 participants are available in each session and participation will need to be confirmed in advance via the YOUfF Instagram Poll. New players must complete a registration form, either online or in person at the session. For more information and details on how to book, visit this page on the YOUfF website – https://www.youff.org.uk/whatwedo

Monthly life lesson mentoring sessions will take place at St Barnabas Church in Epsom.

The Epsom & Ewell Community Football Programme supports the council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which focuses on increasing physical activity, improving wellbeing and reducing health inequalities in the borough.

Ewell Epsom councillor Clive WoodbridgeCouncillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee, said:

“The Epsom & Ewell Community Football Programme provides a fantastic opportunity for young people to take part in regular physical activity. Sessions will also provide a positive and supportive environment in which to improve their wellbeing and build their confidence.

“As well as developing football skills, participants will experience the benefits of being part of a team, building friendships, learning to be part of a team and developing a sense of belonging.

“This programme supports our commitment to improving health and wellbeing across the borough by providing free, accessible activities for young people. Alongside the football sessions, participants will also have access to mentoring and guidance to help them develop valuable life skills and make positive life choices.

“I’d like to thank YOUfF for partnering with the council to deliver this programme, and I encourage young people aged 10 to 16, and their parents and carers, to get involved and take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council offers free community football sessions for 10 to 16-year-olds starting 24 AugustYasha Tobias-Browne, Founder of YOUfF CIC said: “YOUfF was created around the belief that football can be so much more than just a game. It gives us a way to bring young people together, build relationships and create opportunities both on and off the pitch. Through Epsom & Ewell Community Football, we want young people across the borough to have somewhere they can just turn up for FREE, play football, make friends and feel part of something positive. From there they can join the monthly mentoring sessions, where they’ll learn life skills, learn about qualifications and pathways that can genuinely help shape their futures. We’re really excited to be working with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council to make that happen.”

For any questions, email the council’s Community Development team: [email protected]

Free Summer Activities

Registrations Are Now Open for Free Summer Holiday Activities for 0-16s!

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) is delighted to be partnering with local sport and leisure providers this summer to offer a wide range of free, fun and inclusive indoor and outdoor activities for children. These fantastic activities for all ages range from soft play and swimming to yoga, golf, dance, Pickleball, and so much more! Registrations have now opened, and booking early is strongly encouraged.

The programme is designed to help children stay active, try new activities and make friends over the summer holidays, with sessions that are inclusive and cater for a wide range of needs and abilities.

Activities are delivered by experienced local providers in safe and supportive environments. Activities will run from 23 July to 28 August, with sessions taking place across Mole Valley, including Leatherhead, Ashtead, Dorking, Bookham and surrounding areas. Locations include the Stockroom Society, Swan Centre, Leatherhead Leisure Centre, Ashtead Tennis Players Club, The Christian Centre, Dorking Sports Centre and St Josephs School, as well as outdoor spaces such as King George Playing Fields, Chart Downs, Kingston Road Rec, Leatherhead, Ashtead Rec and Nower Wood.

For more information on locations, please visit the site where you can browse the activities your child would like to take part in and when. The sessions are all mixed and cater for a range of different age groups and needs. To view the full programme and book activities, visit here. Please remember that all registrants must live in Mole Valley to participate.

cllr Nick Wright Mole ValleyNick Wright, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism at Mole Valley District Council said: “We’re delighted to offer this opportunity for children in Mole Valley to take part in a broad range of different, inclusive activities, as well as make new friends over the summer. It is so important for young people’s health that they keep active and sociable, and these great activities cater for all levels of ability and experience. It’s great to see some new sessions join the programme this year, including boxing and yoga. Our free summer holiday programme is very popular, so we encourage you to book places for your children as soon as possible to avoid disappointment! As spaces are limited, please only book onto sessions you know your child can attend and cancel your space via the online booking system (Eequ) as soon as possible if they can no longer attend. Visit our website for more information.”

Free Summer Activities

Hobble’ween Returns for Spooktacular Half-Term Fun

This October half-term, the award-winning farm, zoo and adventure park Hobbledown will be transformed into a world of magical mischief, spooky surprises and family fun as Hobble’ween returns from Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November 2025. Families can look forward to a packed programme of immersive activities, live entertainment , hair-raising fun – all included with standard admission.

A Frightfully Fun Line-Up

From bug eating and monster discos to creepy crawlies and mischievous skibblers, Hobble’ween is packed with frightfully good fun for families seeking memorable moments together:

  • • Hobble’ween Storytime – Gather round for enchanting tales from the Hobblers’ world.
  • • Skibbler School – Join the prank-loving Skibblers and master their mischievous ways, from silly walks to cackling laughs.

     

  • • Monster’s Ball – A family-friendly party where fancy dress is strongly encouraged and monster moves are a must.

     

  • • Bug Brunch – Daredevils can sample real dried bugs and gain the title of Bug Champion.

     

  • • Hobble’ween Trail – Explore the park, hunt for hidden clues and reveal the secret word to claim a sweet prize.

     

  • • Skibbler Passport – Collect stickers throughout your visit and trade in your completed passport for a sweet treat – no tricks, just treats.

Add-on Adventure: Trick or Treat Maze Challenge
For just £6 per child, little explorers can brave the Trick or Treat Maze Challenge, held daily at 10:30am to 11:30am and 3:00pm to 4:00pm. Work with the Hobblers to solve the mystery and claim your treats.

Hobbledown Hobble’ween is open from 25th October to 2nd November 2025. Tickets start from £17.50pp when booked in advance online. For more information and to book, visit: https://www.hobbledown.com/epsom/whats-on/hobbleween-at-hobbledown/.

 

The Ho-Ho-Home of Christmas

Chessington World of Adventures announces Winter’s Tail event ticket release PLUS new year-round Christmas themed accommodation

The festive spirit lands at Chessington World of Adventures as it announces the much-anticipated ticket release for its popular Christmas event. And for festive fans who can’t wait until November, the attraction has launched a fully-themed Christmas hotel room bringing holiday cheer throughout the year.

The one-of-a-kind accommodation has been created in response to growing consumer demand for all things Christmas. New research from Chessington World of Adventures reveals that over a quarter of Brits (29%) wish Christmas would last longer and over a fifth (21%) who plan their Christmas experiences are doing so earlier than ever this year. The research found that spending time with family (57%), Christmas traditions (41%) and the nostalgia that Christmas brings (37%) are the things people love most about the holiday.

Our nation of Christmas-lovers admits to extending the holiday magic by keeping Christmas decorations up throughout the year, with the most popular being fairy lights (21%), Christmas tree (15%), stockings (9%) and baubles (8%).

Chessington’s Christmas Room means festive devotees no longer need to wait for the most wonderful time of the year to enjoy magical family Christmas experiences. Sleeping two adults and two children, with one large double bed and bunk beds plus ensuite bathroom, the space features seasonal details including:

      • Christmas Classics – the curated room includes twinkling decorations and garlands, floor-to-ceiling Christmas tree, Christmas crackers, hot chocolate and shortbread biscuits, and Christmas tunes jingling through the room’s speakers on arrival to create the festive mood, plus other seasonal touches.
      • Extra Christmas Trimmings – the hotel offers a special ‘Stocking Filling Service’ for parents to surprise little ones with gifts. Plus VIP experiences* include an Elf Wake-up Call and Reindeer Encounter at the zoo.
      • Christmas car parking space – the personalised reserved spot comes festively decorated to kickstart the Christmas cheer from the moment guests pull up in the car (or sleigh).

And from November, Chessington’s highly anticipated Winter’s Tail event will transform the theme park into a winter wonderland at the heart of which is the Christmas Village, where visitors will enjoy a silent disco, a meeting with Father Christmas, and a visit to the Enchanted Hollow: Toy Workshop to meet the elves who are hard at work.

Howard Ebison, Divisional Director (and Chief Christmas Cheer Officer) at Chessington World of Adventures said: “We love Christmas here at Chessington World of Adventures – so, there is ‘noel’ time like the present to unveil our Christmas Room offering year-round festive fun for families. We’ve worked hard to bottle the joy of Yuletide and create an experience like no other filled with seasonal touches for our guests to enjoy after spending a day at our park and zoo. What’s more, Winter’s Tail tickets are now on sale earlier than ever before, so families can start planning for memories to be made at Chessington this Christmas.”

Go to chessington.com/christmas to book a stay in The Christmas Room from 17th May and purchase tickets for Winter’s Tail starting from 22nd November.

Stays in The Christmas Room start from £77pp based on a family of four including breakfast and 1 day ticket pp. Add-on VIP Experiences* include…

Reindeer Encounter (from £32pp)
  • Experience the magic of Christmas with our Reindeer Encounter
  • Guests under 16 years old must be accompanied by a full paying adult
  • Minimum age 3 years
  • This is a 20-30 minute experience
 
Elf Wake-Up Call (from £25 per child)
  • Have your very own elf come knock on your hotel door in the morning! (plus each ticket will receive a little early Christmas present straight from the North Pole)
  • One ticket needs to be purchased per child in order for each child to receive a present
  • This is a time-slotted 5-10 minute experience
 
Winter’s Tail (from £32 per person)
A magical Christmas adventure awaits you and your family in the Christmas Village. Jingle away to a festive Silent Disco before you journey into a snowy woodland guided by an elf to visit Santa’s Grotto. Greeted by twinkling lights and the scent of a woodfire, join Father Christmas who is ready to hear your Christmas wishes and spread festive cheer to all who visit. Then adventure into Enchanted Hollow: Toy Workshop, where the elves are busy making gifts for Christmas, you may even receive an early Christmas gift.
 
The festive fun does not end there, enjoy everything else that Winter’s Tail has to offer, including festive trail, Christmas panto, carollers, select rides and attractions, and over 1,000 animals in Chessington Zoo and SEA LIFE. It’s the ultimate Christmas day out for families looking to make the season truly magical.
 
Visit before 24th December to enjoy all the magic of the Christmas Village – book early for the best price and availability. From 25th December, Father Christmas will head back to the North Pole with his elves. Guests can enjoy everything else that Winter’s Tail has to offer until 31st December.
 
Winter’s Tail Ultimate Christmas Package (from £140pp)
  • Have your very own dedicated elf come in straight from the North Pole to guide you around Winter’s Tail
  • Meet Father Christmas in the Christmas Village
  • Meet the reindeers in training
  • Enjoy a delicious meal in the theme park
  • Get instant VIP access to all selected rides and attractions open during your visit

Roald Dahl Story Day

Roald Dahl Story Day is celebrated every year on his birthday, the 13th September , and people all over the world come together to celebrate the magic he brought to, and continues to bring, children everywhere.

On Saturday 14th September Bourne Hall will be hosting a range of events to celebrate this. Please see theses detailed below:

Roald Dahl Story Day

Science Boffins show Saturday 14th September 11:00am -12:00pm

Join us as Science Boffins host a fun and interactive way for the kids to learn about various scientific principles while having a great time. It will engage their curiosity and show them the wonders of the natural world through hands-on experiments and demonstrations.

watch as they conjure up an ancient scientist from a bottle. They will then do some experiments to see who’s naughty or nice testing their observation skills and more importantly their morals! As water disappears from a cup one willing victim risks getting wet as the remaining children decide their fate. Next the children will learn about a poorly elephant with a toothache and be amazed how 3 small quantities of chemical can make such a huge amount of toothpaste! With the amount of noise, the children will have made so far, it’s time to test how big their lungs are with our windbags. Using Bernoulli’s air flow principles, we can make a child fill a bag up with over 10 litres of air in one breath!  Finally, we use Bernoulli’s principle to show where a stream of air goes with metres of loo roll being flung across the room as the air carries it over the children.

Book your tickets now, to be a part of the fun, adults go free with a children’s ticket. All children must be supervised.

To book https://sessami.co/events/6bfa3697-07b5-47e0-90fe-e8c559576542?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=Bourne%20Hall%20 or alternatively visit our website at www.bournehall.org

Roald Dahl Story Day

Quentin Blake illustration workshop for adults Saturday 14th September 1:00pm -2:00pm

Join Martine Spencer who will be hosting an illustration workshop with us on the 14th September 2024 to celebrate Roald Dahl day. she will be guiding you to explore techniques similar to Quentin Blake and look at different mediums to create small sketches from your favourite books.

What to expect:

A short presentation

Demonstrations explaining the process.

Resources that show how to draw the features, mark-making, and an A5 sketched character that can be copied for proportions.

All materials (paper, fine liner pen, watercolours, brushes)

Drawing one character and a variety of animals

So, book on now, as there is limited availability.

To book https://sessami.co/events/2cf2605f-3b3e-4dfc-abdf-3b4723d84847?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=Bourne%20Hall%20 or visit our website at www.bournehall.org

Roald Dahl Story Day

Ghost writers’ children poetry competition:

To run alongside the Museums Ghost writers’ event, we are holding a poetry competition for local children to write poems on what they like about the local area or a local place. These will be judged by the poet Ana Mclaughlin in the following age groups: 5-8, 9-12, and 13-16.

The top 3 in each group will win a signed copy her new anthology Heroes and villains, which will be presented by her at an event in October at Bourne Hall.

Poems should be emailed to David at [email protected] or dropped of at Bourne Hall reception desk by the 14thSeptember.

Roald Dahl Story Day 
Museum Ghost writers’ Saturday 14th September 2024 10:00am-4:00pm – free entry

Bourne Hall museum will be celebrating some of the many writers who have celebrated our local area. All have died, hence ghost writers. 4 re-enactors’ will be playing the writers’, Mrs Beaton, Robert Fabian, Samuel Pepys and Charles Dickens. So come and join us as our Museum comes to life.

Roald Dahl Story Day

Animatronic James and the Giant peach display 9th – 21st September 2024

Come and see some of the characters form James and the Giant peach, brought to life as animatronic models by the super talented and legendary Bob Ballan. Available to view to from the Main Foyer.

 

Roald Dahl Story DayEwell library:

Running: 10th – 14th Sept

Dressing Up as a Roald Dahl character

Prize:- Book Giveaways

Crafts on Sat 14th Sept:- Based on Roald Dahl books £1 per craft.

Running:- 10th – 14th Sept

Roald Dahl Treasure Hunt around the Library and Museum

 

 

Mystical May-hem at Hobbledown this Half Term

Get ready for a week of mystical may-hem here at Hobbledown this may half term

Where magic, dragons, and merry mayhem collide to create an unforgettable experience for all who enter. Prepare to be enchanted as we invite you to join us for the Merrydown Festival, a joyous celebration of Rumpletump’s older brother’s arrival and a spirited immersion into the vibrant culture of Hobbledown.
From thrilling dragon parades to whimsical fairy schools, Tipp’s Fab Lab to tantalizing jelly-eating contests, our festival promises a day filled with laughter, wonder, and endless adventure this May half term.
 
Get ready for a week of mystical may-hem here at Hobbledown this may half term
 
 
What to expect:
 
TIPP’S FAB LAB
Step into Tipp’s Fab Lab at the Merrydown Festival to explore inventions and the enchanting power of Hobbledown Crystallite and Magic. Experience swirling smoke, mesmerizing bubbles, and captivating displays of magic.

 
RUMPLETUMP’S JELLY CHALLENGE
Can the hobblers outdo Rumpletumps’s older brother’s record for devouring jelly in a minute? Gather round and witness as hobblers gather to see if anyone can surpass the record for devouring jelly in a minute.

 
DRAGON & FAIRY SCHOOL
Join the Hobblers as we immerse ourselves in the world of dragons and fairies. Discover the fundamentals and transform yourself into these magical creatures.

 
MERRYDOWN FESTIVAL
Bop along to the daily dance party! Learn our signature routine, groove to music, and enjoy fun activities like limbo, Conga, and bubble parties.

 
DRAGON PARADE
Get excited for the arrival of the Dragon’s at Hobbledown. Grab flags and streamers, chant and march, enjoy animal antics, and pop giant bubbles in celebration!

 
BIRDS OF PREY
Daily at 12pm and 3:30pm, watch a range of owls, hawks and falcons take to the skies at the Willows Birds of Prey Centre.

For more Information or To Book Click Link 
www.hobbledown.com/epsom/whats-on/mysterical-mayhem/
 
Get ready for a week of mystical may-hem here at Hobbledown this may half term