Letter from the editor – May 2026

The community has been overwhelming with its dedication and support in thanking the NHS, Front Line and Key Workers every week. Residents in Warlingham have been treated weekly to Mick from the local band ‘Randy and The Rockets’ sing once the hand clapping has finished. Recent weeks have seen him treat neighbours to renditions of ‘Amazing Grace’, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’. Last month he also led the way with singing Happy Birthday to Captain Tom!

Ridge Radio broadcasts from Soper Hall in Caterham Valley, we have 45 presenters who are volunteers and broadcasting 24/7 over the internet.

If you don’t already listen, here are a few easy ways to start. Either go to the website www.ridgeradio.co.uk and click ‘Listen Live’ or on the move by downloading our free Apple or Android Mobile App, it allows you to hear us anywhere in the country. At home, if you have an Alexa enabled device you can listen to us by asking it to ‘Install Ridge Radio’.
On the website is a Schedule Page with all of our shows and their broadcast time, make a note of our Business, Sports and Chat Show times, or simply pick the type of music you prefer and tune in each week.

If you are a local Charity, have an interesting story to tell, or a Local Band or Artist, then please contact us to come in and share your music and interesting stories.
E-mail: info@ridgeradio.co.uk

This month we would like to introduce you to Mark Keegan, our May presenter in the spotlight, his regular Sunday night music show is, Mark Keegan’s Sunday Best 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

The age-old mantra is not what you know, it’s who you know. From the golf clubhouse or the old school tie network, people used their connections to get ahead. But in the past couple of decades there has been a major proliferation of business networking groups levelling the playing field for small local businesses to get ahead and to get involved in their business community. Some are commercial ventures, others not for profit, but what they all have in common is that the people attending want to grow and expand their business and are looking for opportunities. It is also no coincidence that the people who help other business owners, get the most back from those same groups, “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” or “givers gain”.

With the advent of social media everyone’s networks are at the touch of the keyboard and tapping into other people’s networks can be very lucrative. Networking is about meeting people, seeing the whites of their eyes and getting to know, like and trust them so you can recommend them with confidence to your contacts. There are groups meeting for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and even without food involved).

East Surry Community Champion Awards

East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho has launched an Award scheme to acknowledge local individuals and businesses who have gone above and beyond for their community during the Coronavirus crisis. Each week Claire will announce both an individual and a business on her Facebook page. They will be awarded a signed certificate and, once social distancing rules allow, will be invited to a special event to celebrate and honour their work.

Nominations can be from individuals, businesses, parish councils, churches and organisations and can be sent to: claire.coutinho.mp@parliament.uk

1 x Loaf Cake ingredients:
90g unsalted butter
115g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
180g plain flour
Pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
240g very ripe banana (net weight)
1 tsp whole milk
20g demerara sugar

Method:
1. Line a 1lb loaf tin with parchment paper or a cake liner and place aside.
2. Weigh the dry ingredients and sift onto a sheet of parchment.
3. Place the butter, flour & sugar into a bowl.
4. Cream with the hand held electric whisk for 4-5 minutes until light.
5. Scrape down then add the eggs one at time and beat each in well.
6. Add the dry ingredients and fold in carefully with a maris.
7. Mash the bananas add the milk then place into the bowl.
8. Fold in carefully with a maris until smooth.
9. Place into the tin and spread level sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
10. Bake at 160°c for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
11. Leave to cool for 30 minutes in the tin.
12. When the cake has cooled place into an airtight container.
Banana cake or bread is called this because it’s baked in a loaf tin hence the shape. I have tried many versions some with butter some with oil and different sugars and raising agents and ended up with this recipe which on balance I think is pretty good. Self-raising flour can be used instead of the flour and baking powder it should work fine.

MORE than £100 has been raised by a Caterham massage business in a bid to collect funds for the NHS frontline heroes.

Christian Jolley, from Caterham, is asking people to ‘Make Movements’ for the NHS, by taking part in his 30-minute online stretch sessions costing £5.

He said: “The sessions are a triple threat – they keep me engaged with society, get people moving and they raise some money for an amazing group of modern-day heroes.”
The 31-year-old is the founder of Make Movements, a mobile massage and movement therapy service.

Since the government announced the ongoing lockdown period, on March 23rd, he launched the online sessions that involve a range of static and dynamic stretches, along with some gentle mobility work.

He said: “I wanted to come up with a way to contribute and being a huge advocate for movement and wellbeing, the virtual stretch therapy sessions came to life.”
All of the money raised will go towards the NHS Charities COVID-19 Appeal.

This appeal will help fund wellbeing packages for staff and volunteers, pay for food deliveries, cost of travel, and will go towards longer term mental health support for NHS staff and their families.

So far, since launching the Stretch Therapy Sessions, more than 20 workshops have taken place, helping to raise just over £100 for the good cause.
The sessions are available for all age ranges and can be tailored to you. They can be delivered on a 1:1 basis or as a group session.
To help raise more, book now at https://makemovements.co.uk/calendar/

The residents of Farningham Road in Caterham Valley have put together a WhatsApp Support Group for all of those living in the street which currently has 64 households belonging to it. The road have also been ensuring that help is given where needed daily with residents carrying out shopping trips and errands for each other as well as checking in daily with the older neighbours living alone. Whether it be a cup of sugar or a simple chat the neighbours know they can turn to each other. 

A list has also been compiled containing all the birthdays of both children and adults living in the road together with other special events which the street can celebrate during the lockdown. Everyone has made donations towards a collection of goodies which are distributed for birthdays. A present is left on the doorstep and neighbours nearest to that house sing along to Stevie Wonders classic 'Happy Birthday' hit from the comfort of their own front gardens.

Easter Sunday also saw resident Andy Sparkes dress up as the Easter Bunny delivering eggs to families via a long grabber! All the children were given a Time Capsule and a competition was held with a prize for each age group (of course with social distancing in place). Birthday gifts have also been either left on doorsteps or handed out with the aid of the grabber!

Once social distancing rules have been relaxed (and in accordance with the government guidelines) the residents are planning to contact the council to request for the road to be closed so that they can plan a street party! Local resident Lisa Fisher recently told 'The Caterham and District Independent', "we feel like we have created a caring and supportive community which is looking out for one another. We can't wait to have our street party and really get to know each other and have the opportunity for our children to make new friends".

Members of Caterham WI haven’t let lockdown stop them from keeping in contact with each other. Rather than cancelling their April committee meeting, they took the opportunity to try out video conferencing tool Zoom instead.

Replacing their planned fundraiser with an online session, the group enjoyed the novelty of being able to get-together without leaving their sofas. They participated in a chat, some games and a lot of giggles, and have planned more of the same for their May meeting, which will have the theme of ‘Hanging Baskets’.
Search ‘Caterham WI’ on Facebook to find out more about them.