Staff at East  Surrey hospital have highlighted “widespread burnout and feeling undervalued”, according to a report by the Care Quality Commission.

The hospital in Redhill provides services for near three quarters of a million people across Surrey, West Sussex and South Croydon.

Leadership at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare Trust, which runs East Surrey had been downgraded from outstanding to requires improvement, according to the report.

Amanda Williams, from the CQC, said the most concerning part of the inspection was that many staff did not feel safe to speak up.

That meant that risks went unaddressed which could have “real consequences for the people in their care.”

Andrew Hines, the trust’s chief executive, said it had made major changes to its executive leadership team and implemented a comprehensive improvement programme.

Olympic gold medallist Matt Weston has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Kent.

The Team GB skeleton racer, who won gold at this year’s Milan Cortina Winter Games, received a Doctor of the University degree on Monday.

Born in Redhill, he became the first British Winter Olympian to win two medals at the same games in February.

Weston said it was a “huge” honour.

Residents in Earlswood have been urged  not to refill a historical Surrey pond during the exceptionally hot weather.

Chain Pond on Earlswood Common has run dry, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

It adds that campaigners have been unable to persuade the local authority to free up its inlet, which appears to be blocked, desilt the pond and check the clay liner for cracks.

A spokesperson for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council said they were aware of concerns regarding Chain Pond, which was being impacted by climate change.

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has upgraded its heat-health alert for South East England.

It said its previous yellow warning for the region was now amber, meaning the whole population could be at risk from hot weather.

The warning will be in place from 9:00 BST on Tuesday to the same time on Thursday.

It comes as temperatures are expected to peak in the mid-30s Celsius on Wednesday.

The UKHSA’s amber heat-alert applies to the East Midlands, East of England and London, alongside Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

It means the NHS may also see increased demand on GPs and ambulances, plus travel disruption is likely.

Other risks identified by the government agency include an increase in water-related incidents, such as people getting into trouble swimming in seas and rivers.

• How do heat health alerts work?

This latest heatwave comes after some of the driest regions of the UK missed a chance of rain over the weekend.

Parts of southern, central and eastern England remain in “prolonged dry weather” -the final stage before drought is declared.

Wisley in Surrey has been one of the driest locations in southeast England with 40 days of no rainfall up to and including 26 July.

Dry ground and low soil moisture levels are likely to become an increasing concern, potentially fuelling issues with water supply, wildfires and agriculture.

Extreme weather events are becoming more common and more intense around the world, fuelled by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.

Both Surrey and Sussex have been hit by several wildfires in recent weeks.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said on Monday it had been called to more than 300 accidental grass fires since the start of May.

Nick Scott, from KFRS, said these types of fires can have “devastating consequences… such as injuring or killing wildlife, destroying property and livelihoods, or even putting someone’s life at risk.”

As part of its Get Active Crawley campaign, Crawley Borough Council is encouraging everyone to get out and enjoy all that its beautiful local parks and green spaces have to offer this Love Parks Week, which is taking place from 24 July to 2 August this year.

Love Parks Week is a national celebration led by Keep Britain Tidy, highlighting the vital role green spaces play in boosting the health and wellbeing of residents and communities. Crawley Borough Council provides and maintains the parks and open spaces in Crawley.

Throughout the week, there is a range of family-friendly events happening across the town in our fantastic local parks so come along and get involved in the fun. Here’s a round-up of the coming week’s highlights:

Tuesday 29 July

• celebrate Love Parks Week with us by joining one of our weekly Crawley Wellbeing health walks. You can explore Goffs Parks woodlands and lawns by joining the health walk, which is held every Tuesday, meeting at the top car park at 10.30am. Alternatively, you can join the Tilgate Forest health walk, starting at 9.30am from the Tilgate Forest Golf Centre. It’s a great way to enjoy nature, stay active, and connect with your community. Find out more about health walks on the West Sussex Wellbeing websiteOpens in new window

Wednesday 29 July

• for those at work, there are plenty of routes to enjoy during lunchtime. Green Flag award-winning Crawter’s Brook at Manor Royal has the broadwalk landscape with plenty of picnic benches and seating areas to use and relax
• Wednesday is also about thanking the great work our gardening volunteers do every Wednesday throughout the year, both at Worth Park and Tilgate Park, to help the parks look great in every season. Thank you!

Thursday 30 July

• a quieter day, so why not explore the various parks and open spaces Crawley has to offer? There are plenty of green spaces to visit including Bewbush Water Gardens, Broadfield Park, West Green Park and more than 70 children’s play areas across the borough
• you can also join our health walk at Tilgate Park today. Find out about this health walk on the West Sussex Wellbeing websiteOpens in new window

Friday 31 July

• Love Parks Week is the perfect time to pick up a racket and enjoy a game of tennis at one of our nine courts available across Maidenbower, Southgate, and West Green parks. This weekend you can try tennis at all Crawley Parks tennis courts for just £1 throughout the whole weekend so it’s never been easier to get involved! Find out more and book on the Club Spark websiteOpens in new window

Saturday 1 August

• there’s plenty to do at our Green Flag award-winning Tilgate Park during Love Your Park Week. You can stroll the lakes and gardens, play golf, climb the Go Ape Tree top, enjoy food and drink at our cafes and restaurants and take a boat ride on the main lake. Maybe come along and see some of the wonderful animals in Tilgate Zoo including our new armadillo, listen to our daily keeper talks throughout the summer, or enjoy one of the new lemur animal experiences?

Sunday 2 August

• as Love Your Parks Week comes to an end, why not take a stroll around the Ifield Mill Pond, a lovely landscape full of wildlife? You can also explore the Ifield Watermill Museum which is open from 2pm until 5pm. It is the only watermill in Sussex which is powered by its original water source

Love Parks Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fantastic parks and green spaces we have here in Crawley. Whether you enjoy walking, cycling, sport, wildlife, heritage or simply spending time outdoors with family and friends, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Our parks play a vital role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities, and I would encourage residents of all ages to get active, explore somewhere new and make the most of these fantastic spaces right on their doorstep. I would particularly like to say a big thank you to all the council teams who work hard throughout the year to look after our Green Flag award-winning parks.

Councillor Chris Mullins

Cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing

Crawley Borough Council

Find out more on the Love Parks Week websiteOpens in new window. Visit our events page to find out what else is on in Crawley.