Tue. Nov 19th, 2024

What’s On May 2015 London Sth, E-Surrey & W. Kent.


Daily
South Norwood Recreation Ground Car Green Road Croydon 020-8760 5707 Fitness Trails for adults & children of all fitness levels to get fit & keep fit. Positioned at each exercise station are signs showing the exercise to be undertaken with the suggested number of number repetitions.

Daily Rainbow Leisure Centre East Street  01372 727277 Toddlers World, under 5’s.

Ongoing Kidplay Cafe 282-284 Lower Addiscombe Road Croydon   Softplay & café, under 5’s.

Ongoing  Dupass Hill Outdoor Gym    Each item has clear instruction for its use over 12’s.

Every Mon Lloyd Park   020 8726 6000 Health walk circular through Lloyd Park & Shirley on mainly flat terrain, ideal for beginners, 2 miles last approx 1hr, meet 11am FREE & same walk on potentially hilly terrain, 3+miles ideal for advanced walkers, 2pm, FREE. Every Sat Park run, FREE weekly timed 5k run, need to register first.

Every Mon Parchmore Community Centre 53-55 Parchmore Road  020 8726 6000 x88965 Circuit for those new to exercise, returning after illness & the more mature exerciser.

Every Mon term time The Assembly Rooms  West Wickham    Kiddi Cardio toddler fitness 2-5yrs, www.kiddicardio.com

Every Mon,Tues,Wed & Fri morn  Blenheim Children & Family Centre Bromley  01689 879145 Toddlers activities.

Every Tues Coulsdon Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers, Wiggle & Jiggle, 2-4yrs. Every Thurs Storytime, 2 ½+yrs. Every Sat Storytime, under 7’s, FREE.

Every Tues Ashburton Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers. Every Thurs Wiggle & Jiggle for toddlers.  Every Mon Chatterbooks drop in sessions, 8-11yrs. Every Sat Rock & Rhyme for babies & toddlers. Every Wed Social club for older people for a chat & a cup of tea. Every Thurs term time only storytime for under 7’s, FREE.

Every Tues Purley Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers & Wiggle & Jiggle, toddlers over 18mths. Every Fri Storytime 2 ½+yrs. Every Sat Rock & Rhyme for babies & toddlers, FREE.

Every Tues Centrale Shopping Centre Croydon  www.centrale.co.uk  In the Early Learning Centre playtime sessions for children, all ages with all kinds of arts & arts from making face masks, cards, painting, colouring or just play, FREE, 10-12pm, Tel: 020 8686 7535.

Every Tues Thornton Heath Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers, FREE. Every Tues Careers, training & learning advice sessions, 2-4.30pm, FREE & Computer training courses for beginners to experts.

Every Tues De Staffords Leisure Centre  Caterham 01883 344355 Family Swim.

Every Tues Riddlesdown Circular Walk   020 8726 6000 x64952 Health walk, 2-3miles, meet 11am at ‘Good Companions’ pub, Hamsey Green, FREE. www.croydon.gov.uk

Every Tues  Farnham Library   www.bookstart.org.uk  Baby Bounce ‘n’ Rhyme, FREE.

Every Wed Sanderstead Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart rhymetime, babies & toddlers, Wiggle & Jiggle, 18mths+yrs, Storytime 2 ½ +yrs. Fortnightly Rock & Rhyme for pre-school children, FREE.

Every Wed Unitarian Church 1 The Flyover  020 8726 6000 x88965 Zumba Latin inspired dance music & rhythms, all abilities.

Every Wed during term time Sydenham Tennis Club Lawrie Park Road Sydenham  020 8778 4217 Tennis drop in sessions for 8-11yrs.

Every Wed & Sat Millennium Arena Battersea Park  020 8871 7542 Drop in tennis sessions, 5-8,9-15yrs.

Every Thurs Norbury Park and Norwood Grove    020 8726 6900 A circular walk through Norbury Park & Norwood Grove, 2-3 miles, meet at Norbury Train Station, 1.30pm, FREE.

Every Thurs Selsdon Baptist Chuch Addington Road  020 8726 6000 x88965 Circuits Low intensity for mature exercisers.

Every Thurs Croydon Sports College Croydon High School  020 8726 6000 x88965 Circuits Low intensity for mature exercisers.

Every Thurs South Norwood Leisure Centre 164 Portland Road  020 8726 6000 x88965 Aquacise sessions.

1ST  Fri of every month Bergundy & Black Café St Martins Walk Dorking   Bumps & Babies is for mums with bumps & both parents or carers of non mobile babies, meet others for tea or coffee & get your baby socialising, www.nct.org.uk/branches/dorking/events/bumps-and-babies. 3rd Mon of every month Nappuccino a natter about nappies as an alternative to disposables.

Every Fri Bradmore Green Library Old Coulsdon  020 8726 6000 X64952 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers, Wiggle & Jiggle, 2-4yrs. Every Mon Storytime 2 ½+yrs & Chatterbooks reading group for 8-11yrs. Fortnightly Every Sat Rhymetime,FREE..

Every Fri Broad Green Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime 0-5yrs. Fortnightly on Sat Rock & Rhyme for pre-school children. Every Wed Arty Crafty computers drop in sessions for under 5’s, parents & carers, FREE.

Every Fri South Norwood Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime for babies & toddlers. Every Tues Wiggle & Jiggle, 2-4yrs. Alternate Sat Rock & Rhyme or Storytime, FREE.

Every Fri Shirley Library   020 8253 1023 Bookstart rhymetime for babies & toddlers, Wiggle & Jiggle for 18mths+. Every Thurs Storytime for 2 ½+yrs. Every Sat Rock & Rhyme for babies & toddlers. Monthly story & craft workshops, 5-10yrs.

Every Fri New Addington Library   020 8253 1023 Bookstart Rhymeitme for babies & toddlers & Wiggle & Jiggle, 18mths+, Free.

Every Fri Norbury Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart Rhymetime. Every Thurs Wiggle & Jiggle. Alternate Sat Rock & Rhyme followed by Storytime. Last Fri of each month Chatter Books reading group for 8-12yrs, FREE.

Every Fri Selsdon Library   020 8726 6900 Bookstart rhymetime for babies & toddlers, Wiggle & Jiggle, 18mths+. Every Tues Storytime for pre-school children. Every Sat Rock & Rhyme for pre-schoolers. 1st Tues of the month Arty Crafty, 4-8yrs plus parents & siblings. Every Sat afternoon teenage reading group. Last Thurs of month adult reading group.

Every Fri Waddon Ponds & Wandle Park   020 8656 5947 Circular walk through Waddon Ponds & Wandle Park, 2-3 miles, meet outside Lidl, 11am, FREE.

Every Fri Thornton Heath Leisure Centre 89-110 High Street  020 8726 6000 x88965  Aquacise pay as you go sessions.

Every Fri Caterham Valley Library   www.surrey.gov.uk/kidstuff  Rhymetime, FREE. Every Thurs Storytime, FREE.

Every Fri Dorking Library    www.surrey.gov.uk/kidstuff  Rhymetime, FREE.

Every Fri Redhill Library   www.surrey.gov.uk/kidstuff  Rhymetime, FREE.

Every Fri Warlingham Library   www.surrey.gov.uk/kidstuff  Storytime, FREE.

Every Fri Pavillion Leisure Centre Kentish Way Bromley  020 8313 9911 Families & under 11’s Roller Disco sessions, 4.30-5.45pm & Families & under 16’s Roller Disco sessions with full skate & safety equipment provided, doors open 6.15pm, Tel: 07970 266790.

Every Sat The Green Dragon 58-60 High Street Croydon 020 8667 0684 Storytime for families 3-7yrs, drop in 2hr session with stories, puppets, arts activities & songs, FREE.

Every Sat morn Norman Park Hayes Lane Bromley Kent 020 8460 5291 Soccer School, 4-6,7-9 & 10+yrs.

Until 31 Dec Chertsey Museum   01932 575374 Magna Carta: Freedom under Law exhibition.

1 May Gatton Park    01737 649066  The story of the  Highway Rat & go for a walk around the park to bring it to life. 8 May Toddler Tales & Trails – The Big Bad Fish storytelling. 15 May Toddler Tales & Trails, enjoy the story of  Over in the Grasslands & go for a walk around the park to bring it to life. 22 May Toddler Tales & Trails, Shark in the Park enjoy the sotry of Shark in the Park. 27 May Pond Dipping need to book. 29 May Toddler Tales & Trails, Night Monkey, Day Monkey.  www.gattonpark.com.

2  May CranleighHigh Street Horley  07795 120761 Great family day out with rides, entertainment, music, craft & food stalls, vintage pop up café, crafts & art activities & much more, FREE entrance, www.cranleighvillage.net.

2 May Selsdon Wood Nature Reserve Old Farleigh Road Selsdon 020 8726 6900 Bluebells & Birds gentle stroll, www.friendsofselsdonwood.org.uk

2 May Brooklands Museum   01932 857381 Auto Italia-Italian Car Day & motorbikes plus many trade & club stands. 4 May Emergency Services Day with every conceivable vehicle & pieces of apparatus used in the emergency services plus Fireman Sam will be making personal appearances on site at intervals throughout the day, www.brooklandsmuseum.com. 25-29 May Half Term family fun take a trip in a vintage style car up Test Hill, look out for Bertie the Brooklands Bear who will be making guest appearnaces. There will be trails for children up to 12yrs plus family workshops throughout the holiday.

3 May Ashcroft Theatre Fairfield Croydon 020 8688 9291 We’ve Only Just Begun- The Carpenters Greatest Love Songs. 10 May Merlin:The Sword in the Stone family show. 16 May Ballet Theatre UK-Aladdin. 22-23 May The Cat in the Hat families, 3+yrs. 27-30 May Sister Act.

30 Apr-4 May RHS Gardens Wisley   Wisley  01483 225329 Spring Craft & Design Fair with a range of contemporary & traditional crafts to include jewellery, wood craft, glass, pottery & lots more. 2-3 MayTaste of Wisley Rhubarb Fest. 4 May Taste of Wisley Flower (Flour) Fest using edible flowers to liven up our dishes. 23-31 May Super Power Flowers get planting & learn about how plants battle against the elements with their super powers. See the ‘Wonderland’ themed mini show gardens created by budding gardeners from local schools. 30-31 May Birds of Prey Weekend, FREE event once entered the garden. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

4 May Oxted Community Hill  53 Church Lane  01883 716056 Daisy Dog Vintage Fair with shabby chic furniture, jewellery, jams & chutneys, bags & gloves & lots more.

4 May Ottershaw Memorial Fields Foxhills Road Ottershaw   Traditional May Fair

4 May Oxshott Village Sports Club Oxshott  www.osxhottvillageday.com.  Oxshott Village Day a fun filled day out for all the family with lots of entertainment for everyone, including bouncy castle, children’s fairground, Punch & Judy, climbing wall, face painting, jazz band , circus show & lots more. There will also be demonstrations & events like classic cars, various sports & the popular penalty shoot our plus lots of stalls, refreshments to include a hog roast, afternoon teas & lots more, entrance under 12’s FREE, www.oxshottvillageday.com.

4 May Dapdune Wharf    01483 561389 Down Your Wey Day meet some of the local environmental groups who study & promote river wildlife, plus craft workshops & childrne’s activities such as building a bird box. 25-31 May Messy Mayhem Half Term  A week of messy play & having fun doing all the things the grown-ups won’t let you do at home, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/riverwey.

4-9 May Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Millbrook Guildford 01483 440000 The Pirates of Penzance. www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

5 May  Farmers Market Guildford High Street   01483 444401 With high quality fresh local produce from local farmers  to include, meat, fish, cheese, eggs, bread, chutneys plus lots more, www.guildford.gov.uk/farmersmarket

6 May Watts Gallery Down Lane Compton Surrey  01483 813593 Mini Make! Explore fabrics, textures & colours in this multi-sensory workshop for under 5’s. 9 May Discover! Lady with the Lamp hear stories of the heroic nurse, Florence Nightingale, discover the incomplete painting of her & work together to finish it, FREE. 28-29 May Make A Teracotts Birdbath.   www.wattsgallery.org.uk

6,24 May Hutchinson’s Bank   020 8726 6900 Join Malcolm Bridge, Butterfly Conservation in search of different butterflies, meet at 11.a.m.  9 May Bird Watching, 2hr walk.

8 May Epsom Playhouse Ashley Avenue  01372 742555 The Johnny Cash Roadshow, www.epsomplayhouse.co.uk

9 May & every 2nd Sat of month Ripley Farmers Market    Held on the village green with 35-45 stalls offering a wide range of  locally sourced food, plus craft & community stalls with events throughout the year such as a dog show, bake off & cookery demonstrations from local Michelin star chef, Steve Drake, FREE parking, www.ripleyfarmersmarket.co.uk

9-10 May Rural Life Centre Farnham  01252 795571 A Village at War re-enactors transform the museum with the sights & sounds of a village ‘somewhere in England’ as D-Day approaches & the troops prepare for the impending invasion.  www.rural-life.org.uk

9-10 May Shalford Mill   01483 561389 National Mills Weekend, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/shalfordmill

10 May The Dittons Fair Giggs Hill Green Thames Ditton  07783 449666 Traditional family event with sideshows including football,  tombola, crazy golf, the Dotty Dog Show & Dog gymkhana obstacle course plus craft & charity stalls & refreshments, FREE entry, www.thedittonsfair.co.uk

10 May Millmead Lock   01483 561389 River Wey Mills & Hills walk approx. 10 miles, FREE.

14 May Painshill Park Portsmouth Road, Cobham  01932 868113 Morning Lecture Series, Shakespeare’s Plants & Gardens & Demonstration of container plants for the summer. 16 May Spring Photography adults only. 28 May-18 June Dapdune Painting with Mel Cambridge paint & sketch in your favourite medium with friendly guidance from local artist Melanie Cambridge. www.painshillpark.co.uk

16 May Mill Studio Millbrook  01483 4400 00 My Friend Mole, 3+yrs. 16 May Mattress, Mattress, The Story of the Princess & the Pea, 3-7yrs, www.krazykarttheatre.co.uk. 23 May Rapunzel, 3+yrs, www.tutti-frutti.org.uk

16 May Holy Trinity Church West End Village  020 8481 8192 May Fair  with mega slide & giant assault course, traditional fair games, toys, crafts, face painting, pocket money stalls plus bbq food, & beer & Pimms pop up bar, entrance under 16’s, FREE, www.holy-trinity-pri.surrey.sch.uk/

16 May Dorking Museum & Heritage Centre  The Old Foundry 62 West Street  01306 876591 Shapes & Patterns Family Drop In Activity, looks at the shapes & patterns to be found around Dorking. Take a trail around Dorking to find them in the doors & windows of the town, suitable families, www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk

16 May Compton Village Green   01483 415390 Traditional Village Fete held on the green in the centre of the village with stalls & sideshows to include circus skills, children’s petting farm, tea tent bbq, beer & Pimm’s tent, bric-a-brac & lots more, entrance FREE.

16 May Leatherhead Theatre   01372 365141 Noah, a Musical Adventure, fun filled family musical based on the story of Noah & the Ark. 23 May Carmen the Opera, www.theleatherheadtheatre.org

16-17 May East Bysshe Cross Country Showground Blindley Heath, New Chapel  01737 645857 Heavy Horse, Dog & Country Show with miniature horses, new for 2015, historic wheels section, a century of horse drawn land, using traditional techniques. There will also be blacksmithing, fairground & dray rides & unusual foodstands, under 16yrs, FREE. www.shirehorsesite.org.uk

17 May Littleheath Woods Selsdon  020 8726 6900 Family Woodland Trail, find that perfect stick, follow a badger trail or see if there are tadpoles in the pond, meet at the Foxearth entrance to the wood, families, 5+yrs, www.croydon.gov.uk

17 May Merrist Wood College Holly Lane Worplesden  01483 884000 Summer Show with lots of  activities to include tree climbing & animal interactions, children’s fairground plus plant stalls, floristry displays, craft markets, classic car show for the grown ups ,equine stunt show, stampede stunts motorcycle stunt show, refreshments & lots more.

23-24 May Concert Hall Fairfield  020 8688 9291 The Pirates of Treasure Island family show. 30 May Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular.

24 May Pinewood Scout Centre   020 8726 6000 Open Day to promote all things nature with play & outdoor exploring in Croydon. Event for families, teachers, Early Year staff & youth leaders with forest school, bush craft, nature arts & crafts, storytelling, climbing walls & kayaking, to book activities, biodiversity@croydon.gov.uk

24 May Haslemere Classic Car Show    Held on Lion Green a day filled with pre-75 classics & vintage entertainment for all the family with static afternoon show, display of pre-1975 vehicles & more plus quality stalls selling local produce, crafts, art, vintage & classic car related goods, traditional food, cream teas, bar,  music, competitions & entertainment for all the family, entrance FREE but you are asked to buy a lucky programme for £1 to support the show, contact hccs@jamesewing.co.uk

24-25 May Hatchlands Park East Clandon  01483 222482 Go outdoors & get messy with activities & crafts from the “50 things” list for example making  mud pies & wild art, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatchlands-park.

25 May Surrey County Show Stoke Park  01483 890810 Entertainment to include the Stampede Stunt Company’s ‘Magna Carta, Grand Prix Show, jumping & hot air balloons, see hundreds of prize cattle, sheep, pigs, goats & horses along with gun dogs, falconry displays & live music plus competitions for poultry, bees & honey, floristry & a fun dog show www.surreycountyshow.co.uk.

25-29 May Winkworth Arboretum Godalming  01483 208477 Half Term children’s trail. Half Term Wild Learning adventure holiday club, have fun & explore the woods with Wild Learning. www.wild-learning.net.

26-27 May Sayers Croft Field Centre Ewhurst Surrey  01483 275990 Woodland Explorers activities to include tracking & trailing, games & den making, bug hunts & lots more, 7-11yrs. 29 May Wet & Wild test your own raft to see whether you sink or swim, the day will be action packed & a change of clothes is a must, 7-10yrs, www.sayerscrofttrust.org.uk/events.

26-29 May Birdworld Farnham  01420 22140 Love Your Zoo Week, throughout the period additional tours & demonstrations in all of the animal departments plus topical trails & arts & crafts, www.birdworld.co.uk

30 May Farmers Market Woking   01483 743208 Held in Mercia Walk with a wide variety of goods, 9-2.30 p.m.

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By Penny McCarthy

Penny McCarthy is a seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Parents News UK, a pioneering publication launched in 1993 to serve the needs of busy parents in Southwest London. Alongside her husband, Fergus McCarthy, Penny played a crucial role in the rapid expansion of the printed edition, which grew from a local startup to a widely circulated monthly publication with a reach of 192,000 copies across Kent, South London, and beyond. Under Penny’s leadership, Parents News quickly became a trusted resource for families, providing valuable information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly events. Her vision helped the publication extend its influence with franchises in Northern Ireland and Cornwall, catering to a growing demand for accessible, family-oriented content. In 1997, recognising the importance of digital media, Penny spearheaded the launch of Parents News UK Online. The website initially mirrored the content of the printed editions and has since evolved into a comprehensive online resource for parents, achieving significant popularity with up to 700 daily hits. In 2017, the publication transitioned fully to an online platform, continuing to inform and engage families across the UK. Today, Penny remains deeply involved in the ongoing success of Parents News UK, focusing on innovative advertising opportunities and future growth plans. Her dedication to supporting families through accessible and practical content has made Parents News a cherished name in households across the country.

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