I’m delighted to share that the West Byfleet Community Gardening Group has once again entered both West Byfleet station and the village itself into the South and South East in Bloom competition.

Having first begun work on the station during the first lockdown – and having since gone on to “adopt” the station from South Western Railway (SWR) – they have secured gold awards in the Stations in Bloom category for the past two years.

Regularly passing through West Byfleet Station myself, I have every confidence they’re on track for continued success in this year’s judging.

SWR are sponsoring the stations category this year as part of their Railway200 celebrations – celebrating 200 years of railway history and an effort to encourage community-led efforts to brighten stations across their network.

I joined the group on Birch Green last week, where they’ve been busy hedging and tree planting as part of Surrey County Council’s 1.2 million trees strategy – one tree for every resident by 2030 – and I was pleased to roll up my sleeves and help with some weeding and planting a hypericum shrub.

The group also looks after the planters and tree circles along Rosemount Parade, having stepped in after Woking Borough Council's financial difficulties. Their hard work to keep the village vibrant is a shining example of Woking’s incredible volunteer spirit.

I also took the chance to discuss the long-running issues with the dilapidated tunnel under West Byfleet station.

With the Botanical Place development nearly finished, I will be writing to Network Rail to press for repairs so that developer Higgins can deliver on their promise to repaint the tunnel.

I am sure local residents and commuters would be glad to see it finally getting the attention it deserves.

Supporting Local Carers

On Friday, I took part in I’m a Director… Get Me Out of Here! 2025 event, raising money for Crossroads Surrey to fund respite care for unpaid carers across Surrey.

Every £1,000 raised helps to provide up to 11 weeks of weekly respite breaks for a carer in need.

The event was held at the Laithwaite Community Stadium and I’d like to thank Woking Football Club for their excellent hospitality, as well as all the other participants for their efforts on the day and phenomenal fundraising work.

It was an enjoyable day of I’m a Celebrity-style challenges ranging from handling tarantulas to gruesome bushtucker trials and even getting slimed! It was all well worth it to support the unpaid carers who do so much for our community, working around the clock to support loved ones, often without rest or recognition.

These breaks are more than just time off — they give carers the chance to recharge, look after their own wellbeing, and continue their vital role with the support they need.

I'm proud to have supported this fantastic cause. We raised over £10,500 collectively which is enough to support up to 11 families for 11 weeks of respite breaks.

Thank you to everyone who has donated.