Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has recognised several individuals, groups, and organisations for going over and beyond in their selfless service to the community.

In total, 55 individuals were honoured at this year’s Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Awards with the ceremonies taking place at the Town Hall on Friday 17 and Monday 20 July.

Organised in partnership with Voluntary Action Surrey East (VASE), the awards have become a great way for the community through the Council, to thank those who selflessly give up their time and effort for the benefit of others.

There were five award categories this year and the winners are:

Young Volunteer

• Marcus Martin-Burns – 9th Reigate Scouts group (Lower Kingswood)

Individual Volunteer

• Ana Sá – Include.Org
• Carol Ward – Include.Org
• Gill Hartley – Casualties Union, Surrey Branch
• Mike Gregory – Casualties Union, Surrey Branch
• Peter Taylor-Medhurst – Banstead Commons Conservators
• Lesley Ashworth – St Catherine’s Hospice
• Gareth Luker – YMCA East Surrey
• Chris Nott – Radio Redhill
• Kitty Cubbage – Age Concern Merstham Redhill Reigate
• Amanda Whitaker – Stripey Stork
• Angie Barton – MHA Communities East Surrey
• David Parsons – MHA Communities East Surrey
• Rod Baker – Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey and Stripey Stork
• Flt Lt Ellery Lock – 135 (Reigate & Redhill) Air Cadets
• John Williamson – Pathfinders Scouts Horley
• Trudy Hopcroft – Loveworks
• Sean Sullivan – The Brigitte Trust
• Chris Kemp – Merstham Community Facility Trust
• Kirsty Upton – The Lucy Rayner Foundation
• Chris Shaw – The Reigate Repair Café

Individual Trustee

• Sally Stimpson – I Choose Freedom
• Jeff Harris – MYTI Club
• Claire Pidgeon – Age Concern Merstham Redhill Reigate
• Doug Bennett – Us in a Bus
• Dan Gould – Pathfinder Scout Group
• Hugh Sergeant – Renewed Hope
• Vic Marcipont – Merstham Community Facility Trust
• Elizabeth Sandra Snelgrove – The Lucy Rayner Foundation

Long-Service

• Debbie Lackey – St John Ambulance
• Tim Arscott – 7th Banstead Scouts
• Bruce Chapman – Reigate Business Guild and Old Reigatians RFC
• Rosemarie Belcher – Girl Guiding UK
• Hysen Perlesha – Red and Black Roots Association
• Trevor and Shelia Ongley – The Redhill Corps of Drums & Band
• Sue Bracher – St Catherine’s Hospice
• Annie McKillop – Banstead Community Centre
• Pauline Barnett – Age Concern Banstead
• Colin Batty – Age Concern Banstead
• Suzanne Fletcher – The Brigitte Trust
• Darren Coomber – The Lucy Rayner Foundation

Team Volunteers

• Include Trustee Team
• Tracks through Pastures
• Woodhatch Community Centre Volunteers
• Gatton Trust Volunteers
• St Catherine’s Hospice Charity Shop
• Reigate Andy’s Man Club
• Stripey Stork Large Equipment
• Home Start Epsom, Ewell & Banstead
• Stripey Stork Corporate Volunteers
• Welcare
• Reigate Beekeepers Swarm team
• Loveworks Drivers
• Horley Community Centre Reception Team
• Asian Social Group Trustees Team

We know residents are frustrated by the recent disruption to rubbish, recycling, food and garden waste collections and we are sorry households continue to be affected.

The Council has agreed a £160,000 package of measures with Biffa to strengthen the resilience of waste and recycling services through to April 2027. These measures include additional staffing support, workforce stability initiatives and operational improvements, including an additional vehicle to support recycling collections.

The additional measures have only recently been agreed and it will take time for their full benefits to be felt across the service. In the meantime, some collections may continue to be affected as the service recovers and stabilises.

We understand residents’ frustration and thank them for their continued patience and understanding. The Council and Biffa remain committed to restoring a reliable service and reducing the risk of future disruption.

Crawley Borough Council has announced that all six Crawley Parks have retained their Green Flag awards.

For Tilgate Park this will be the 24th consecutive year of achieving this status with Goffs Park and Memorial Gardens retaining their the 18th year.

Worth Park has also again received a Green Heritage Site Accreditation, supported by Historic England, for the management of its historic features.

Cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing, Councillor Chris Mullins, said it was a ‘fantastic’ achievement.

A man has been arrested following a collision between two cars near Gatwick Airport.

The incident involving a black Ford and a black Mercedes occurred on 16 July at around 3.55pm on the junctions of Beehive Ring Road and Gatwick Road.

A 55-year-old man from East Grinstead has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, uninsured driving and possession of an offensive weapon in public.

He has been bailed until 17 September pending further enquiries.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Sussex Police

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is encouraging residents to consider whether they, or someone they know, could benefit from a free Safe and Well Visit.

Anyone who is at a higher risk of experiencing a fire or who may have trouble escaping in an emergency, is eligible for the free visit by the fire service.

The visits will also cover wider health and wellbeing issues that can affect a person’s safety

Residents can find out more and request a visit on the West Sussex County Council website