Laura-Jane Breckell (CEO, FreeShop Crawley) joined Clive Hilton on SUSY Sunday Brunch 7th December 2025. LJ shared her personal story that lead to FreeShop Crawley starting up 5 years ago, how they offer a unique blend of services to individuals and families who would otherwise ‘slip through the gap’. A fascinating conversation highlighting the special experience FreeShop strives to offer its customers AND the much needed support required from volunteers, small businesses, sponsors and people donating food items but also, ideally a small monthly direct debit to help provide a sustainable service to the community. The inspiring conversation concludes with spotlighting plans for 2026, thanking the many volunteers and talking about Saturdays Gratitude Gala marking 5 years of FreeShop Crawley!
If you need support, or would like to volunteer, or to donate £10/month, please check out www.freeshopcrawley.com
*** If you are doing some festive Amazon shopping, take a look HERE at the FreeShop Crawley Wish List to select a gift to make someones Christmas – THANK YOU ***
Clive Hilton, Neil Munday & Jacq Inwood broadcast live from the Reigate Christmas Fayre – midday to 3pm in Saturday 29th November. We absolutely love getting out into the community and having fun. Sharing a monster 8min montage of the interactions with the festive crowd… youngest guest 2weeks old and kids sing-alongs ahead of the lights switch on! 😉
Also, a huge thank you to all the charities and people that came to speak to us about their causes, events and stories:
Loveworks, improving lives through food.
Renewed Hope East Surrey, providing practical solutions and emotional support to the homeless, vulnerable and isolated of East Surrey.
Dorking Halls, with Thomas Redgrave (Collabro), Amelle Berrabah (Sugababes) & Sophie Elmes (West End) starring in their upcoming panto Peter Pan.
The Mayor of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, Councillor Rich Michalowski.
Redhill Business Guild (RBG) held its first breakfast meeting on Wednesday 27th September at Three Central on London Road, Redhill.
RBG Breakfast Club is a series of morning business networking events that provides each delegate the opportunity to connect with other members of the Redhill business community. These events also offer the opportunity to hear from a local guest speaker about their business’s journey and experiences whilst enjoying a complimentary breakfast buffet of bacon sandwiches, pastries and fresh fruit.
Redhill Business Guild (RBG) Breakfast Club welcomes their first presenter Sumi Wang. Picture shows: Sumi Wang and the eFOLDI
Redhill Business Guild (RBG) Breakfast Club welcomes their first presenter Sumi Wang. Picture shows: Sumi Wang and the eFOLDI
Simon Bland gave the opening speech during which he expressed his love for Redhill. Following his speech the RBG Breakfast Club welcomed the Guild’s first presenter Sumi Wang, the local Redhill entrepreneur behind the eFOLDi, a collapsible mobility scooter, which won British Invention of the Year and the Reigate and Banstead Entrepreneurs Academy. eFOLDI also came runner up in the Richard Branson VOOM business awards.
Sumi and her father, who together designed and pitched the eFOLDi, had a fantastic story to share, one that reaches all the way to the Chinese National Acrobatic Troupe. Sumi provided an illuminating presentation of the eFOLDI mobility scooter.
Simon Bland, Economic Prosperity Programme Manager at Reigate and Banstead Council said: “I’m really pleased by the way the meeting has gone today, we’ve had a good turnout, a good cross section of people and all engaged really, really well, people talking to each other and I thought we had a really good presentation from for the first event.”
Redhill Business Guild (RBG) Breakfast Club welcomes their first presenter Sumi Wang. Picture shows: L/r Simon Bland, Economic Prosperity Programme Manager at Reigate and Banstead Council, Sumi Wang, eFOLDI and (seated) Richard Coad, Borough Councillor for Redhill East.
Borough Councillor for Redhill East, Richard Coad said: “This is a business networking breakfast with a very good representation of the Redhill businesses here, all networking together. This is something that the Redhill business community has been crying out for a long, long time, and now, one year into the Business Guild, we’re holding this fantastic event, with Sumi Wang as our guest speaker.”
Redhill Business Guild (RBG) Breakfast Club welcomes their first presenter Sumi Wang. Picture shows: Borough Councillor for Redhill East, Richard Coad and the eFOLDI
Among those attending the first RBG Breakfast Club were Jerry O’Leary, Chairman of Redhill Football Club, Belfry Shopping Centre Manager Andy Nash, Vicky and Dave from VIDA Training and Alix from the Include Choir, an inclusive choir of people with and without communication, memory or learning difficulties.
Established in September 2016 and representing a wide cross-section of businesses the Redhill Business Guild promotes and improves the trading interests of all its members and welcomes all proactive businesses wishing to join the Guild to help us achieve our objectives and become a part of the Redhill business community.
Listen On Demand:
Chairman of Redhill Business Guild, Richard Coad
Simon Bland, Economic Prosperity Programme Manager at Reigate and Banstead Council
