Good morning, Surrey. Simon here! This is Inspired Surrey. It’s amazing what a bit of sunshine can do—everyone seemed in a better mood on Saturday when the sun finally made an appearance. Did you make the most of it?

We headed to the Maker’s Market in Guildford, which was packed with great stalls, and took a walk around the Cathedral grounds to soak up the rare bit of good weather.

Now, let’s see what’s happening this week!

In today’s Inspired Surrey:

• RHS Orchid Show this month 🌺

• Surrey Archives open day 📰

• Surrey is the place to raise a family 👨‍👩‍👦

• The World-Famous Monday Wordle 🧠

• What’s on Guide for this week 📅

Let’s get to it.

🌸 RHS Orchid Show at Wisley – A Blooming Spectacle Awaits!

Orchid lovers, mark your calendars!

From March 14-16, RHS Garden Wisley is hosting its spectacular Orchid Show, bringing together some of the finest growers and rarest blooms in the country.

Whether you're an experienced collector or just love the vibrant, exotic beauty of these fascinating flowers, there’s plenty to see, do, and learn!

🌿 What’s On?

Prepare to be wowed by stunning orchid exhibits, carefully arranged by expert growers. RHS judges will be awarding prizes for:
🏆 Best Orchid Exhibit
🏆 Best Hybrid Orchid
🏆 The Sander Cup for Best Specimen Orchid

🎤 Expert Talks & Live Demonstrations

Want to master orchid care or learn about conservation efforts? Across all three days, experts will be sharing their knowledge on topics like:
✅ Growing orchids naturally
✅ Weird and wonderful orchid species
✅ Live orchid painting demonstrations
✅ How to grow orchids in a terrarium
✅ Saving orchids – global conservation stories

⏰ Full talk schedule includes:
🗣️ Friday, March 14th

• 11:30 AM: Weird and Wonderful Orchids – Jean Barker

• 12:30 PM: Growing Orchids Nature’s Way – Simon Pugh-Jones

• 2:30 PM: Australian Dendrobium at RHS Wisley – Hugo Danckwerts

🗣️ Saturday, March 15th

• 11:00 AM: Orchids of Cambridge University Botanic Gardens – Luigi Leoni

• 12:00 PM: Live Orchid Painting Demonstration – Deborah Lambkin

• 1:00 PM: Saving Orchids: Conservation Stories – Phil Seaton

• 2:30 PM: Phalaenopsis – A Treat for Families – Jonathan Newell

🗣️ Sunday, March 16th

• 11:30 AM: Mounted Orchid & Species – Zsuzsa Serer

• 12:30 PM: Phalaenopsis – A Treat for Families – Jonathan Newell

• 1:30 PM: Growing Orchids in a Terrarium – Jacob James & Otto Mercer

• 2:30 PM: Growing Orchids Nature’s Way – Simon Pugh-Jones

🎨You can buy a signed copy of Phil Seaton’s new book (Saving Orchids: Stories of Species Survival in a Changing World), set for release in April!

📚 Library Displays & Treasures Tour

Dive deeper into the history and science of orchids! Stop by the library on Friday, March 14th at 10:30 AM for a Treasures Tour featuring rare orchid-related items from the RHS collection. Throughout the show, you’ll also find:
📖 Orchid paintings from the RHS Digital Collection
🌿 Herbarium specimens – a rare chance to see preserved orchids up close

After enjoying the show, head to the Glasshouse Orchid House to explore Wisley’s own collection of exotic orchids, housed in a lush tropical environment.

📍 Event Details

📅 When? Friday, March 14 – Sunday, March 16 (10 AM – 4 PM)
📍 Where? RHS Garden Wisley, Hilltop Garden Room
🎟️ Tickets? The Orchid Show is included with garden admission

Whether you’re looking for expert growing advice, breathtaking floral displays, or the perfect new addition to your indoor jungle, the RHS Orchid Show at Wisley is a must-visit.

Grab your tickets here.

@InspiredSurrey 📸

I know Spring doesn’t officially start for a couple of weeks, but, I feel like it’s already here!

📸 @surrey_snaps | 📍 Leith Hill, Surrey

Tag @InspiredSurrey to get your photos included!

Step Into Surrey’s Past – History Centre Open Day! 🏛️

Ever wondered what secrets are hidden in Surrey’s archives? Did you even know Surrey had these secret archives!?

On Saturday, March 8th, the Surrey History Centre in Woking is opening its doors for a free day of discovery, with rare documents, historic maps, old photographs, and even archaeological finds on display.

🔍 What’s On?

• Behind-the-scenes tours (£5) – Explore 6 miles of shelving packed with documents dating back to the 12th century! (Pre-booking required)

• Free expert talks – Learn about Surrey’s great family estates (12pm) and how archives stay relevant in the modern world (12:45pm).

• Family-friendly activities – Mini archaeological digs and crafts for kids.

• Genealogy advice – Chat with experts to trace your Surrey roots.

📍 Where? Surrey History Centre, Woking
🕥 When? Saturday, March 8th, 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM
💷 Cost? Entry is free! (£5 for guided tours)

A perfect day out for history buffs, curious minds, and families alike. Book your tour spot online and get ready to time-travel through Surrey’s fascinating past! ⏳📜

Book your tickets here.

The Monday Wordle: Episode 26 🧠

It’s Monday, so you know what that means, Wordle time!

I can’t believe we’re on number 26!

Click here to play.

Last week’s answer: caves

🏡 Surrey Ranked Best Place in England to Raise a Family!

Thinking of putting down roots? Surrey has just been crowned the best county in England for families, according to a new ‘Family Hotspots’ Index.

The data, compiled by estate agent Jackson-Stops, looked at factors like wellbeing, education, green spaces, and crime rates, and four Surrey boroughs made the top 10—more than any other region!

🥇 Surrey Heath (home to Camberley and Bisley) topped the list, with the highest wellbeing score in the country and 65% of pupils meeting Key Stage 2 targets. 🥈 

Woking followed closely in second place, thanks to its excellent schools and commuter links. 🏆 Mole Valley and Waverley also secured top spots, cementing Surrey’s reputation as a prime place to raise kids.

With top-rated schools, a strong sense of community, and plenty of family-friendly activities, it’s no surprise Surrey is "top of the class" for family life! 📚🏡

We Are Now On Instagram 📸 

If you are on Instagram, please follow @inspiredsurrey if you can. It would be much appreciated. The account was only started recently, so we still barely have any friends/followers, I’d very much appreciate a follow!

Thank you so much to everyone who followed us! You’re the best! 😊

The Digest 🗞️😀

A 19th-century bank on Egham High Street is set for a major transformation after plans to convert it into 20 flats were approved: The once-grand building, which has stood empty for years, will get a sensitive restoration, with the ground floor staying commercial. However, there’s no affordable housing in the mix—unless the developer turns a bigger profit than expected. Locals aren’t thrilled about the lack of parking, arguing it’s unrealistic to expect residents to rely on bikes alone. With construction set to begin soon, Egham’s high street is about to change—let’s hope it’s for the better! 🏗️🏡

Most of us struggle to stick to a running routine, but 24-year-old Harry Edmonds from Guildford has just smashed his way into the record books as the youngest person ever to complete the Global Race Series: Over the past year, he’s tackled some of the planet’s toughest terrains—from the Amazon rainforest to the Namibian desert, before wrapping up with the Ice Ultra Challenge in Sweden, a brutal 230km trek in -40°C temperatures. Though he didn’t take home a trophy, Harry says the experience was “life-changing” and has only made him more determined for the next challenge. Safe to say that Sunday jogs will never feel the same again! 🏔️🥶

If you were hoping for a smoother commute through Woking town centre, think again—Victoria Way will remain closed until at least the end of March: The ongoing saga, which started in 2021 when cladding panels fell off the Hilton hotel, has seen repeated closures due to safety concerns. While urgent work to secure the worst-affected panels has been completed, investigations into a long-term fix are still ongoing. Council leader Ann-Marie Barker called the delays “extremely frustrating”, while contractor Sir Robert McAlpine has apologised for the disruption. Until then, expect more detours, delays, and plenty of sighing from stuck drivers. 🚦🔧

What’s On This Week 📅

East Surrey

🎙️ Coffee Time Talk: Sixty Years On
The Guildhall, Guildford, Thursday 6th, 11:00am | More info

🪔 Pottery Course
Watts Gallery, Guildford, Tuesday 4th, 10:00am | More info

🎶 Jack Savoretti
G Live, Guildford, Tuesday 4th, 7:00pm | More info

🌽 Guildford Farmers’ Market
High Street, Guildford, Tuesday 4th, 10:00am | More info

🎹 Sounds Of The 60’s Live
New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Tuesday 4th, 7:30pm | More info

🎤 Andy Zaltzman: The Zalzgeist
Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Thursday 6th, 8:00pm | More info

🍺 Farnham Pub Tour
Shepherd & Flock, Farnham, Tuesday 4th, 3:30pm | More info

👩‍🎨 Fine Art & Frames Auction
Parker Fine Art Auctions, Farnham, Thursday 6th, 11:00am | More info

✔️ Quiz Night at The Cricketers
The Cricketers, Horsell, Tuesday 4th, 8:00pm | More info

🎭 Yateley Industries Variety Show
Camberley Theatre, Camberley, Friday 7th, 7:30pm | More info

West Surrey

💎 Free Valuation Afternoon
Centenary Hall, Caterham, Thursday 6th, 1:30pm | More info

🎸 Jam Night with Prime Numbers
McCafferty’s, Epsom, Thursday 6th, 7:30pm | More info

👩‍🎓 Open Evening
North East Surrey College, Epsom, Tuesday 4th, 4:30pm | More info

🎨 Paint Night
The Ginistry, Epsom, Wednesday 5th, 7:00pm | More info

🎶 The Shires - The Two Of Us Tour
Dorking Halls, Dorking, Friday 7th, 7:30pm | More info

🙋 Volunteering Task on Park Downs
Banstead Common, Banstead, Tuesday 4th, 10:00am | More info

🤱 Banstead Mum2Mum Market
Banstead Community Hall, Banstead, Saturday 8th, 10:00am | More info

Weather

Monday

10° 🌡️ -3° | ☀️ | Look at those emojis! Bright sunshine, all week - yes, it’ll be cold overnight, frosty in the morning, but the forecast looks fantastic.

Shrove Tuesday

11° 🌡️ -1° | ☀️ | We’ve got light winds around the place on Tuesday, but the sunny weather continues.

Wednesday

13° 🌡️ 3° | ☀️ | A foggy start to the day but we have highs of 13 on Wednesday! Spring is on the doorstep.

Thursday

13° 🌡️ 8° | ☀️ | Another lovely day on Thursday, and it’s even heating up overnight with lows of 8 degrees - what a difference a bit of sunshine makes!

Thank you! 👍

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