Good morning, Surrey. Simon here! This is Inspired Surrey. Question of the day: You see a famous person in public. Do you ask for a picture or not?

In today’s Inspired Surrey:

• Your chance to visit Shere Open Gardens 🌸

• Cheese & Chilli festival 🧀

• The World-Famous Monday Wordle 🧠

• What’s on Guide for this week 📅

Let’s get to it.

🌸 Shere Open Gardens Is Back in Bloom!

🗓️ Sunday 29 June, 2:00–6:00pm
📍 Shere Village, GU5 9JA
🎟️ £9 online (£10 on the day) | £8 for over 65s | Under 16s go free

If you’ve ever strolled through Shere and thought “I wonder what’s behind that hedge…” — this is your chance to find out.

Shere Open Gardens is back for its annual blooming bonanza, opening up private village gardens for a glorious summer afternoon out. Tucked at the foot of the Surrey Hills, this postcard-perfect village is bursting with hidden green gems, and for one day only, you get to peek behind the garden gates.

Expect everything from peaceful kitchen plots to grand country planting schemes. Many of these gardens are usually hidden from public view, so this is a rare treat!

🌿 Highlights to discover include:

• A nature garden designed for education and wildlife exploration

• A beautifully restored Tudor knot garden at Forge Cottage

• Fruit trees and ornamental rhubarb at 2 Bank Terrace

• The tranquil watermill grounds at Netley Mill House

• Pilgrims Garth, a fragrant lavender haven with sweeping views

• Pots, roses and a sunken courtyard at The Lodge

• Plus... chicken coops, bug hotels, terraced borders, and a secret shepherd’s hut!

There’ll also be:

• Free parking at GU5 9JA (or ///return.tent.duck for the what3words fans)

• Homemade teas and cakes on offer in the village hall

• Tickets available on the day, but you’ll save a quid buying online!

It’s all in aid of local charities and good causes; it’s one of the loveliest events in the Surrey summer calendar. Bring your walking shoes and maybe a sunhat. You’ll want to linger.

👉 Book discounted tickets online here

@InspiredSurrey 📸

📸 @surrey_snaps | 📍 Langley Vale Wood, Surrey

Tag @InspiredSurrey to get your photos included!

🧀🌶️ The Cheese & Chilli Festival Returns to Guildford!

📍 Shalford Park
🗓️ Saturday 19th July (10am–6pm) & Sunday 20th July (10am–5pm)
🎟️ Early Bird: Adults £9 | Seniors & Carers £7 | Kids under 16 go FREE

Get ready for a weekend of bold bites and brilliant entertainment because the legendary Cheese & Chilli Festival is rolling back into Guildford, and it’s bigger, tastier, and sillier than ever.

Whether you're a cheese connoisseur, a chilli daredevil, or just want something fun to do with the family, this is the ultimate summer day out.

🥳 Here’s what’s cooking:

• 🧀 Cheese & chilli tastings from top UK producers

• 🍽️ Cooking demos, tips & live chilli challenges with Chilli Olly, Dave & guest chefs

• 🥊 Live wrestling matches (Cheese Corner vs Chilli Corner — no, really!)

• 🎶 Live music all weekend

• 🤹 Kids' activities: Punch & Judy, magic shows, bubble parties, balloon modelling, and more

• 🎨 Free crazy golf, axe throwing, inflatables & storytelling

• 🧚 Giant walkabout mascots including Kerry the Koala

• 🧾 Discount vouchers worth £20 included with entry

There’s also a bar partnership with Hall & Woodhouse Brewery for a top-notch pint, loads of food stalls (with less spice too, don’t worry), and even a voting tent to crown the best sauce of the weekend.

🚌 Getting There:

• 🚗 Free parking (but not guaranteed, so come early!)

• 🚆 9-minute bus ride from Guildford Station (Route 53)

👉 Book early for cheaper tickets and check out the full schedule here: cheeseandchillifestival.com

Bring your brave taste buds and stretchy pants — this festival’s got flavour and fun in every corner!

The Monday Wordle: Episode 36 🧠

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

Click here to play.

Last weeks answer: hills

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 🗞️😀

Meet Void, Surrey’s very own four-legged lifesaver 🐾. This clever kitty from Staines has made the finals in the National Cat Awards for repeatedly saving his owner’s life. Four-year-old Void can detect when Laura Welch is about to suffer a medical episode caused by a heart condition and will sprint over to warn her, pawing at her until she responds. On one occasion, he even woke her moments before a seizure. Now a finalist in the Incredible Cats category, Void is up against two other heroic moggies, but in our eyes, he’s already a winner. 🐱🏅

Paul Jameson from Guildford is a man on a mission. Diagnosed with a rare form of Motor Neurone Disease back in 2017 and given just six months to live, he’s now gearing up to smash four Guinness World Records in a single day — and he’s doing it all to raise £88,000 for the MND Association. From dog-powered dashes at Dunsfold Aerodrome to a string of other daring challenges, Paul’s defying the odds and showing the world what determination really looks like. 🐕‍🦺🏁

Woking Borough Council has officially offloaded land earmarked for a now-scrapped £169 million town centre redevelopment project, once dubbed "ambitious" but now labelled "fatally flawed." The half-hectare site near Victoria Arch was bought during the council’s big-spending era, which ultimately led to its financial collapse in 2023. Network Rail had already pulled out, the bridge works were shelved, and existing residents didn’t fancy moving — so now the council’s cutting its losses and moving on. No word yet on how much they got for it, but it’s safe to say the dream has been derailed. 🚧💸

What’s On This Week 📅

East Surrey

🎭 The Wind in the Willows
Barn Theatre, Oxted, Friday 27th, 7:30pm | More info

👨‍🎓 UCA Epsom Open Day
UCA Epsom, Wednesday 25th, 10:00am | More info

🎸 Festhumble ‘25
The Stepping Stones Pub, Dorking, Saturday 28th, 1:00pm | More info

🐶 Bletchingley Village Fair & Dog Show
Grange Meadow, Bletchingley, Sunday 29th, 12:00pm | More info

🧒 Little Pickles Market
Merstham Park School, Redhill, Sunday 29th, 10:00am | More info

🚒 Surrey Fire Museum Reopening Event
Surrey Fire Museum, Reigate, Saturday 28th, 1:00pm | More info

🚶‍♀️ Trails and Tales: The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Gatton Park, Reigate, Friday 27th, 10:00am | More info

West Surrey

🗝️ Guildford Antiques & Brocante Street Market
High Street, Guildford, Sunday 29th, 10:00am | More info

🚃 Model Railway Exhibition
Guildford Spectrum, Guildford, Sunday 29th, 10:00am | More info

🎷 Summer Jazz Night
Farnham Park, Farnham, Saturday 28th, 6:00pm | More info

👚 Vintage Fashion Fair
Farnham Maltings, Farnham, Saturday 28th, 10:00am | More info

🪓 Waverley Medieval Walk
Tilford, Farnham, Saturday 28th, 10:15am | More info

☀️ Goldsworth Park Summer Fair
St Andrew’s Church, Goldsworth Park, Saturday 28th, 10:00am | More info

🏎️ Porsche Event
Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Sunday 29th, 9:30am | More info

🍔 Claygate Market
Claygate, Esher, Sunday 29th, 11:00am | More info

🕰️ Sunbury Antiques Market
Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury, Tuesday 24th, 6:30am | More info

Weather

Monday

23° 🌡️ 13° | ⛅ | A lovely start to the week with sunny intervals and a decent breeze to keep things moving. UV and pollen are both high, so it's sunscreen and sneezes all around. Ideal weather for a shady lunch spot or a late-afternoon stroll.

Tuesday

24° 🌡️ 15° | ☁️ | A cloudier one today, with grey skies pretty much parked overhead all day. Still warm, still breezy, still very much T-shirt weather, just maybe keep the sunnies in your bag rather than on your face.

Wednesday

27° 🌡️ 16° | ⛅ | Back comes the sunshine, with warm temps and just enough cloud to keep it interesting. There’s a small chance of a cheeky shower in the early evening, but otherwise it’s a cracking day for pretending to work from the patio and getting the washing dry!

Thursday

24° 🌡️ 16° | 🌦️ | Bit of a mixed bag today. Expect a soggy start with morning rain, but the sun will be fighting to break through the clouds by the afternoon. Not a total write-off as the weekend approaches!

Thank you! 👍

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