Councillor Chris Jackman - Badshot Lea & Moor Park

I enjoyed a wonderful visit to The Kiln this evening for the local launch of Surrey Artists Open Studios 2026. 🖼️ 📸

From 6–21 June, you can explore 152 studios across Surrey — meet talented artists, watch them work, join workshops, and discover incredible local creativity on your doorstep just like I have this evening.

Free entry, inspiring spaces, and art you can take home. 💚

More info: surreyopenstudios.org.uk

Farnham’s World Music Day 2026 🗺️🎺🎹🎸

Join us on Sunday 28 June from 12pm - 6pm in Gostrey Meadow for a Carnival weekend celebration of music featuring,

12.00 – 13.00: Los Musicos
13.20 – 14.10: Country Rogues
14.30 – 15.25: Bavarian Oompah Band
15.45 – 16.40: Mariachi Tequila
17.00 – 18.00: Brobed Stils

Live music, food and drink, children's rides, circus skills and a free craft drop-in activity 🎨🎶🤹‍♀️

📅 Sunday 28 June 2026
🕛 12pm - 6pm
📍 Gostrey Meadow, Farnham, GU9 7PT

Thank you to our principal summer sponsors Kidd Rapinet and Shaw Gibbs for supporting our summer programme of events 🌞

Farnham is absolutely winning tomorrow.

Artist & Makers Market in town, more sunshine on the cards, and Late To The Party bringing the vibes at Music in the Meadow.

Plan: lunch, a cheeky drink, a wander to support our wonderful local shops and businesses, then off to Gostrey Meadow for some free live music.

Simple plans make the best days — see you out there!

A costly ride through Frimley… 🛴🚔

Reminder: Privately owned e-scooters are NOT legal to use on public roads or footpaths in Surrey. ❌

This rider was stopped today by officers and a Special Constable on attachment.

Checks revealed:
⚠️ No full licence
⚠️ No insurance
⚠️ Positive roadside DrugWipe for cannabis 🍃

The rider was arrested and the e-scooter seized.

If you choose to ride illegally, expect consequences. 👮

Sorry I’ve been quiet… ☀️

It’s been a little while since I posted. After the local elections, I needed some much‑needed time for reflection — the campaign had its fair share of unpleasant moments (name‑calling, lies, and general nastiness), and balancing all of that with a busy day job and a young family can take its toll. Being a Councillor is a voluntary role, and sometimes stepping back briefly is the healthiest thing to do.

That said, quiet doesn’t mean inactive. Not only did we win the fight against McDonald’s on the edge of Tice’s Meadow and within an SNCI, but over the past few weeks I’ve also been out litter picking, helping at the wellbeing tent during the sustainability festival, removing graffiti, and staying involved in our community. We’ve already had a Town Council meeting and an Electors’ Meeting since the election, and I remain committed to working with those from other parties who were elected to the West Surrey Shadow Authority, for the benefit of Farnham.

A busy summer is already on the horizon — but for now, I’m taking a moment to enjoy the sunshine in my bee‑friendly, no‑mow‑May clover lawn. Enjoy the public holiday, whatever you’re up to. ☀️ 🍹 🐝

💚

No ‘Blackpool on the Blackwater’ at Tice’s Meadow’🐦🌳

We’re delighted that the McDonald’s application for a restaurant and drive‑thru at Tongham Services has been dismissed at appeal — a huge win for our countryside and our community.

From day one, we’ve stood with campaigners to oppose this development: encouraging residents to sign the petition, speaking out on local radio on numerous occasions (thank you Councillor Chris Jackman - Badshot Lea & Moor Park & Catherine Powell), and highlighting the serious harm this proposal would have caused.

This drive‑thru would have:
👉🏾Threatened our countryside — undermining Guildford’s Local Plan and opening the door to development on any roadside green space. Tongham, Ash and Aldershot are already merging, and this would have squeezed the wildlife corridor even further.
👉🏾Damaged biodiversity — the site is an SNCI, totally inappropriate for a drive‑thru.
👉🏾Increased litter — their 150m litter‑picking promise wouldn’t cover the nature reserve, main roads or lakes, where rubbish inevitably ends up.

💪🏽 Over 8,000 residents signed the petition. Your voices made this happen.

A massive thank you to everyone who stood up for our area. This is a victory for people, wildlife and common sense.

Tonight’s National Peace Symposium — hosted by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community — was a powerful reminder that real progress begins at home. Here in Farnham, our strength has always come from our ability to work together, not against one another. Seeing leaders, diplomats, faith communities and citizens from around the world gathered in one room underscored a truth we know well locally: division solves nothing. Cooperation can solve almost anything.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s commitment to dialogue and service reflects values we hold dear in Farnham. Events like this remind us that unity isn’t abstract; it’s something we practise every day in how we show up for one another.

🤎🩵

What a season. What a team. What an achievement. 🏆⚽️🔥

Our U12 Youth have done the club proud once again with a truly remarkable season from start to finish.

Having already secured both the NEHYL Premier title and the Surrey Youth Premier League title, the boys have now completed an incredible treble by winning the NEHYL League Cup with a convincing victory over Surrey Nomads this morning. 🏆🏆🏆

This is the perfect icing on the cake for a group of fantastic lads who have worked so hard all season and fully deserve every bit of success that has come their way. 👏

Huge credit also goes to the coaches, whose passion, commitment and focus on player development have helped create a team that does things the right way and represents the club brilliantly every single week. 🙌

A big congratulations as well to the parents for all of their support throughout the season. Your backing has played a huge part in what has been a very special year. 👏

Everyone at the club is incredibly proud of the players, coaches and parents on what has been an unforgettable season. 🩵

Absolutely delighted both Catherine and Sally have been elected to West Surrey council following yesterday’s election. Thank you to everybody who supported Farnham Residents Group 🙏