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Find Your Voice with Ashtead Youth Choir
Ashtead Youth Choir welcomes young people aged 7–18 to enjoy singing, build confidence and make friends in a fun, inclusive setting—no auditions or fees required. Led by Director of Music Esther Jones, the choir is growing through local school workshops and offers exciting opportunities, including leadership roles and scholarships. Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays at the Dell Centre. Interested families are warmly invited to get involved. Contact Esther at esther.jones@ashteadparish.org or on 07795 236347 to find out more.
A Place For Everyone at The Table
Revd Sarah Tapp introduces an exciting new all-age Holy Communion service at St Giles’ Church named The Table, launching on 20 September and taking place on the third Sunday of each month at 10.30am. Building on the sense of shared worship already experienced across generations, she outlines a vision for a more participatory, inclusive Eucharist where people of all ages can engage, grow in faith and gather together as one church family.
Have Your Say: Support the Future of St Giles’ School
St Giles’ Infants School, a much-loved part of Ashtead for over 150 years, is consulting on an exciting proposal to become an all-through primary. This would secure its future, balance school places across the village, and extend its nurturing, Christian education for children aged 4–11. With strong links to St Giles’ Church, excellent staff and facilities, and a caring village-school ethos, this is a positive step forward. We warmly encourage you to read the full proposal and share your support by the end of June.
Are EVs Good for the Planet?
Many people in our church and community are considering the move to electric cars, but questions remain about their impact on the planet. We asked George Heywood from our Caring for Creation committee to reflect on the issue. George highlights research showing that EVs produce far lower lifetime carbon emissions than petrol or diesel cars, whilst also improving local air quality. As he notes, “they’re not perfect, but they’re a significant step in the right direction” as we seek to respond faithfully to the challenge of climate change.
Bring Your Bottle – World Refill Day (16 June)
World Refill Day, held each year on 16 June, is a global day of action to tackle plastic pollution and encourage a shift from single-use packaging to reuse and refill. Led by the UK environmental charity City to Sea, it invites individuals, communities and organisations to make simple swaps that collectively have a big impact.
All Things Created: Aid to Wildlife
After an unusually wet spring followed by dry conditions, local wildlife faces growing challenges as food sources become harder to find. In this article, Linda Scott explores how these changing conditions affect birds, insects, and ecosystems, and highlights simple ways we can help. From providing water and safe food to planting native species and reducing litter, small actions can make a meaningful difference. Caring for wildlife, she reminds us, is part of our responsibility and gratitude as stewards of God’s creation.
Listening Well: Deaf Awareness Week
Deafness is more common than you might think. Official statistics show that one in three adults in the UK is deaf, hard of hearing or has tinnitus, and around 2.4 million people struggle to hear most everyday conversation. The person sitting next to you in church may well be coping with hearing loss, even if it isn’t obvious.
Caring for God’s Creation Through Recycling
Mole Valley Council has recently expanded the list of items we can recycle in our green bins, including toothpaste tubes and clean foil trays. With Global Recycling Day on 18 March, Liz Marlow reminds us how recycling fits into the wider waste‑reduction journey.
Discovering Faith, Friendship and Fun at St George’s
As many of you will know, our Youth Life Groups meet on Thursday evenings at St George’s—a space where our young people can gather in community and explore faith together. What began last year with Alpha Youth, sharing food and diving into honest conversations about life’s big questions, has grown into something much deeper. meaningful ways.
World Mission: How Our Giving Is Making a Difference
As part of our commitment to generosity, 10% of our annual freewill donations are given to our chosen charities (details of which can be found on our Mission Page HERE). The World Mission Team oversees this ongoing support and, when appropriate, allocates additional one-off gifts to specific projects that extend our global impact.
In 2025, that extra funding enabled three impactful initiatives meeting practical needs while sharing God’s love in meaningful ways.
Clearing the Myths Around Climate Change
As Christians, we are called to be people of truth and people of hope. Yet when it comes to climate change, many of us find ourselves caught between alarming headlines, sceptical voices, and a sense of helplessness about what we can realistically do. But Scripture gives us a steady place to stand.
Draw Near to God: A Lent Invitation
Lent invites us to pause, refocus, and draw closer to God. It’s often described as a season of giving things up, echoing Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness. But the heart of Lent is not self‑denial for its own sake — it’s about gently clearing away the distractions that can pull us from God’s presence.
Caring for Creation: A New Year Invitation
The Church of England has made a bold and hopeful commitment: to reach Net Zero Carbon by 2030. This isn’t simply an environmental target — it’s part of our Christian calling to safeguard God’s creation and work for a fairer, more just world. Climate change already affects the poorest communities most severely, and the loss of biodiversity threatens the wellbeing of our single, shared planet. As a church, we are called to respond in faith, practice, and mission.
Breaking Barriers, Building Belonging
Breaking Barriers, Building Belonging
On 3rd December, the world observes the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a UN initiative affirming the dignity and rights of every person. The UN’s Disability Inclusion Strategy calls for societies where disabled people can participate fully, ensuring no one is left behind.
Nativity Crib Festival – A Joyful First!
Our very first Crib Festival at St George’s was a joyful success, welcoming over 1,400 visitors across the four days.
Joy Without Waste
Christmas is a time of joy, but it’s also a chance to care for God’s creation. Here are practical ways to celebrate sustainably…
The Power of Singing Together
Discover the joy, health benefits, and sense of community that come from raising our voices in harmony.
Nativity Crib Festival at St George’s
From Wednesday 10 December (9 am – 6 pm) through to Saturday 13 December (closing at 4 pm), St George’s Church will be transformed into a joyful celebration of creativity, community, and the birth of Jesus.
Bring Your Bottle and Make A Difference
If you haven’t noticed yet, the old water cooler at Reception at St George’s has been replaced with a new water fountain and refill station combo, and the café’s water cooler has been removed. This “small” switch is big news for so many reasons…
Besom Christmas Hampers: A Practical Way to Show Love
For many, Christmas is a season of joy. But for some, it’s a time of stress, worry and not enough to go around. That’s where we, as a church family, can step in with compassion and generosity.