Sussex & Surrey Soapbox

Clive Hilton
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The 'Sussex & Surrey Soapbox' Podcast is a local roundtable plus special guests, exploring the issues that matter most. We tackle the topics that spark debate, challenge perspectives, and shape our communities — always with balance, openness, and respect. Our panel brings together a diverse range of voices to unpack complex and sometimes emotive subjects, offering thoughtful discussion, differing viewpoints, and factual insight. While we don’t shy away from the tough conversations, we believe they’re best had with curiosity, good humour, and a focus on what truly matters. Search 'Sussex & Surrey Soapbox' & join our Facebook group - a 'Village Hall' vibe with a community discussing topics from different perspectives and always with respect... keyboard warriors not welcome! You can catch soundbites from the latest episode on local community radio (SUSY 103.4, Meridian FM) - a shorter, accessible version of the podcast. The latest episode with the full conversation is available here and across all major platforms. We love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, come join us in our Facebook group, or leave a comment & subscribe via Spotify etc.... Thank you for your interest, Clive Hilton.  

  1. Sep 19 ·  Bonus

    SPOT: Pride in Place, Bewbush

    Send us Fan Mail SPOTlighting Pride in Place, Bewbush up to £20 million over 10 years sounds like a headline, but what matters is who gets to decide. We go live from Bewbush Academy with Neil Munday, Andy Brown and Clive Hilton, where residents are invited to shape a resident-led regeneration plan for Bewbush, backed by Crawley Borough Council and a neighbourhood board that turns local priorities into action. You will hear how the money could support social, economic and environmental improvements, and why this is designed to work from the ground up. We chat with event organiser Amanda Foster, CCYS about how the event was pulled together in just 4 weeks and  Matt Pollard, Crawley Borough Council about the programme, and we also hear from local voices on what should come first, from upgraded play spaces and 3G pitches to better traffic flow, cleaner streets, lighting and safer public areas. The idea board fills up as the afternoon goes on, and the conversation stays practical: what would genuinely make daily life better for families, young people and older residents in Bewbush? Community support is part of the story too. We meet Menshare Listening Group on men’s mental health and the power of listening circles, and we speak to the Free Shop, Bewbush about food support and the café that helps fund it and the many other community stalls. PLUS the brilliant live performances on the stage - youth music work, and a hula-hoop moment with Peter Lamb MP and Madam Mayor Cllr Marion Ayling that somehow turns into a serious point about participation, and you get a warm, grounded snapshot of what local pride can look like speaking with the Leader of Crawley Borough Council, Cllr Michael Jones. If you have ideas for Bewbush, share this with someone local, subscribe for more community stories, and leave us a review. What would you spend the first years £2 million on? Join the drop in session at Bewbush Academy on Tuesday 22 September, 7pm to have your say! Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    SPOT: Pride in Place, Bewbush

  2. Sep 18

    Brexit 10 Years On

    Send us Fan Mail Panel Members: Cllr James Tidy — Reform UK Leader of the Opposition on Crawley Borough Council and Deputy Leader of the Reform UK group on West Sussex County Council Cllr Richard Biggs — Conservative Councillor of Horley West and Sidlow, Leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council Cllr Abigail Chapman-Miller — Labour Vice Chair of Oxted Parish Council and Policy Officer for East Surrey Labour, with 10+ years' experience across accessibility, the public sector and community health Iain Dickson - Green Party Crawley Green Party, Crawley CND, Former Trade Unionist Chelle Lucas — Community Voice Local business owner from Lingfield Paul Taylor-Burr — Stand Up to Racism, Crawley Hosted by: Clive Hilton, PLUS a live audience from across the local area. 10 years after the referendum, Brexit still sparks the kind of argument that can split a room, so we brought a mixed panel and a live audience together in Crawley, West Sussex to test one simple question: knowing what you know now, would you vote the same way again? The answers land fast, and they are not just about party lines. They are about trust, lived experience, and whether “taking back control” shows up in everyday life. We get straight into the topics people message us about most: immigration, border control and small boats, and the messy gap between legal migration, asylum and illegal entry. From there, we tackle the Brexit bus legacy and the hard reality of the NHS crisis: A&E waits, corridor care, staffing, and whether more money helps if the system is clogged by bureaucracy and poor coordination. A key thread is local and practical, not theoretical: how councils, social care and prevention could reduce pressure on hospitals if budgets and incentives actually lined up. Then the gloves come off on economics. We challenge competing Brexit statistics on trade, productivity and investment, and ask what “better off” even means when high streets struggle and the cost of living keeps rising. We also hear a crucial perspective from a younger voice who never had a vote in 2016, raising a bigger democratic question about who carries the consequences and for how long. If you enjoy sharp, respectful debate with real people and real stories, subscribe, share the episode with a mate who disagrees with you, and leave us a review. What has Brexit changed most in your life? Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    Brexit 10 Years On

  3. Sep 16

    Trust, Transparency & Accountability in Local Politics

    Send us Fan Mail Panel Members: Cllr James Tidy — Reform UK Leader of the Opposition on Crawley Borough Council and Deputy Leader of the Reform UK group on West Sussex County Council Cllr Richard Biggs — Conservative Councillor of Horley West and Sidlow, Leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council Cllr Abigail Chapman-Miller — Labour Vice Chair of Oxted Parish Council and Policy Officer for East Surrey Labour, with 10+ years' experience across accessibility, the public sector and community health Iain Dickson - Green Party Crawley Green Party, Crawley CND, Former Trade Unionist Chelle Lucas — Community Voice Local business owner from Lingfield Paul Taylor-Burr — Stand Up to Racism, Crawley Hosted by: Clive Hilton, PLUS a live audience from across the local area. Trust in politics is not a Westminster problem when it lands on your doorstep as worse services and higher costs. We record a live Sussex and Surrey Soapbox panel at Heathy Farm in Crawley, and for the first time with an audience in the room, to ask the uncomfortable questions: are local councils transparent, are councillors accountable when things go wrong, and why do so many residents feel ignored until election time? We talk candidly about how national scandal and party tribalism spills into town hall decisions, and why social media often amplifies heat while reducing genuine dialogue. Our panel spans party and non-party voices, including councillors and a local business owner, and we dig into what “boots on the ground” should really mean: surgeries people actually attend, honest explanations of spending, and evidence of delivery rather than photo opportunities. We also explore how disruption from new parties changes behaviour, and why constant blame-swapping can destroy public confidence faster than any single policy. The audience takes the conversation somewhere sharper, from town centre safety and policing to housing growth, infrastructure and the feeling that local communities are losing their voice. One of the most striking contributions comes from a 14-year-old, who lays out a clear, lived view of what success should look like when councils plan for growth. If you care about local democracy in Crawley, Sussex, Surrey, and beyond, listen, share it with someone who argues politics online, and then subscribe and leave us a review so more residents can find the conversation. Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    Trust, Transparency & Accountability in Local Politics

  4. Sep 3 ·  Bonus

    SPOT: Tilgate Zoo’s Fundraiser For TRAFFIC

    Send us Fan Mail 🦁 Sunday Brunch Went WILD! 🐢🐝 Clive Hilton and Andy Brown took SUSY Sunday Brunch on the road for an August Bank Holiday fun broadcast from Tilgate Zoo — and a special Soapbox SPOTlight mixing wildlife, conservation, community fun… and a fair amount of chaos. At the heart of the day was a serious issue: illegal wildlife trade. Supporting Tilgate Zoo’s Wild Weekend fundraiser for TRAFFIC, we explored an industry driven by demand for trafficked animals, skins and body parts — and heard how those smuggling routes could lead all the way back to the UK. With our mobile studio set up between the meerkats and guinea pigs, we discovered how Tilgate Zoo used real artefacts seized by HM Customs to make the scale and cruelty of wildlife trafficking impossible to ignore. But it was Bank Holiday Sunday — so things didn’t stay serious for long! 😎 There was face painting, games, a bake sale and kids’ activities, plus a brilliant animal-sound challenge where we turned the tables on the keepers to see whether they could recognise the calls of animals living at their own zoo. Then things got competitive. There was a timed obstacle course, a slime bucket challenge, compelling evidence that small children were considerably faster than radio presenters… and allegations that Andy cheated. 😂 🐢 We also met the team behind Turtle Tally, a citizen-science project tracking pet turtles that had been released or escaped into UK waterways. Those cute little hatchlings can grow surprisingly large and live for decades — highlighting the wider problem of impulse-buying animals that later become difficult to care for or rehome. 🐝 We rounded things off by getting up close with beekeeping, before looking ahead to more Bank Holiday live music with Ash Miles and CRASH Music at The King’s Head, Horley. Wildlife, conservation, community, live radio and two presenters let loose in a zoo. What could possibly have gone wrong? 🦁🎙️🐢 Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    SPOT: Tilgate Zoo’s Fundraiser For TRAFFIC

  5. Aug 31

    When Live Music Becomes Noise

    Send us Fan Mail One complaint can feel small, until it threatens to switch off a town’s soundtrack. We get into the row that escalated start of August around The Cage in Reigate after a noise abatement notice lands, the venue pauses live music, and thousands rally behind a petition to protect local gigs. Speaking with Rory Fry-Stone, Co-owner at Pilgrim Brewery, we unpack what the business says went wrong, why the lack of clear criteria for compliance creates real risk, and how quickly summer trading can disappear when events are cancelled. We then read the latest Reigate & Banstead Borough Council statement and react to the tension at the heart of every town-centre noise dispute: residents deserve to enjoy their homes, and councils have legal duties when evidence suggests a statutory nuisance. But venues also need a process that feels fair, transparent, and measurable. We debate common-sense fixes, from decibel monitoring and agreed thresholds to tighter controls on amplification, finishing times, and crowd noise, plus the bigger planning question of who should adapt when homes and cultural spaces sit side by side. To end on momentum, we spotlight Redstart Community, a local charity building a new stage 'UNIT 45' for original live music in Redhill, and we share details of ORIGINALS Showdown'26, our own battle-of-the-bands style showcase. If you care about local live music, grassroots venues, and how environmental health enforcement can be done better, take a listen. Across all podcast platforms, on local radio and by popular demand you can now watch us make the mistakes on YouTube. A HUGE thank you to The Red Lion & Cellar Room in Betchworth for hosting us! Featuring: Jacq Inwood, James Tidy, Georgie Lucas, Maureen Jones & Aga Es. Host: Clive Hilton. Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    When Live Music Becomes Noise

  6. Aug 27

    Summer 2026: The Good, Bad & Baffling

    Send us Fan Mail The summer news cycle has been loud, messy and occasionally baffling, so we’re back at the Red Lion & Cellar Room in Betchworth to pick through the stories that got us talking — with real viewpoints, honest opinions and the occasional good whinge. We start with the BBC licence fee: is the BBC still a priceless British institution, or is its funding model increasingly out of step with a subscription generation? We talk value for money, bias, iPlayer and those increasingly noticeable on-screen reminders. Then it’s onto some everyday frustrations: the short-lived “vertical drinking” proposal, increasingly uncomfortable UK heatwaves and whether school term dates need to adapt, plus Gatwick’s drop-off charge and why “just use public transport” isn’t always quite that simple. Closer to home, we discuss litter picking in Crawley, civic pride and personal responsibility, before looking at the national emergency alert system and its unintended impact on some vulnerable people. And there’s still time for the lighter side of summer: meteor spotting on Leaf Hill, open mic nights, local live music, a Brexit teaser and even a frank exchange about Harry and Meghan. A proper Sussex & Surrey summer catch-up — local issues, national stories and plenty of opinions. And we announce ORIGINALS Showdown ’26 — our new local live music event, with performances across Thursdays in November and December, created to discover, showcase and celebrate brilliant original music from local artists and give that talent a bigger platform. More details, venues and artist announcements are coming soon — follow our Facebook Group for updates. Featuring: Jacq Inwood, James Tidy, Georgie Lucas, Maureen Jones & Aga Es. Host: Clive Hilton. Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

  7. Jul 13 ·  Bonus

    Tess' Tea Party '26

    Send us Fan Mail Best Bits of Tess' Tropical Tea Party '26  Alongside the Sussex & Surrey Soapbox podcast, where we bring people together to have balanced conversations about the issues shaping our communities, we wanted to take that same philosophy beyond the microphones. Rather than simply talking about community, we wanted to create it. The hall is buzzing. The BBQ queue never seems to end. Children are laughing, balloons are floating overhead, Rock Choir are warming up, the raffle table is overflowing, and our microphones are live from the heart of Tess' Tropical Tea Party at Broadfield Community Centre, Crawley. What looks like a brilliant free family event quickly reveals something much bigger. Behind every burger served by the incredible Tess' Kitchen team, every smiling volunteer in a pink cowboy hat, every sponsor banner, every performer taking to the stage, and every raffle ticket sold is one shared purpose: bringing our community together while raising vital funds for Crawley Open House, supporting local people experiencing homelessness and hardship. Across this special Sussex & Surrey Soapbox episode we meet the people who made it all happen. Hear from Tess and Iqbal Khan on why feeding people is about far more than food, alongside members of the Events Team who spent months bringing hundreds of people together. We chat with sponsors and supporters including Asda Crawley, discover how local businesses rallied behind the event, and hear why community partnerships matter now more than ever. You'll also hear the reality facing Crawley Open House. With its hostel full, resource centre under constant demand and food parcels supporting families every single day, the need has never been greater as many continue to feel the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis. Thankfully, the afternoon is packed with joy too. WAVE School of Dance kick off the live broadcast on SUSY 103.4, Sharon's Music gets everyone dancing, the Rock Choir fill the hall with huge harmonies. Craig and Ash with CRASH Music deliver an energetic live set and debut their powerful new song Racing Minds, bringing conversations around mental health into everyday language. The Y.E.S Project show off their dance talent and we talk Gossops Rocks 2026 (Sunday 19th July from midday).   Lord Geoffrey the Balloon Guy keeps children smiling with balloon creations, Tim the Magician amazes families, Creative Crawley with artist Areej Abdi inspires young imaginations along the theme of play, CCYS are outside with face-painting and games, community organisations showcase their work - Crawley Combat Academy, Crawley Spinal Health and somewhere along the way volunteers, unsuspecting guests and the soapbox's James Tidy & Iqbal Khan find themselves laughing in the charity stocks getting a soaking!! More than anything, this captures what happens when local businesses, volunteers, charities, performers, community groups and residents all pull in the same direction. There are no screens, no arguments and no algorithms—just neighbours connecting with neighbours, raising money for a fantastic local cause and proving that community spirit is alive and well in Crawley. If you care about stronger communities, tackling homelessness, supporting local charities, or simply want a reminder of what people can achieve together, press play, share this episode with friends and neighbours, and if you enjoy it, please subscribe and leave us a review. Bringing the community together, proudly sponsored by Goaco, West Green Window Cleaning & SUSY 103.4 - THANK YOU! And a HUGE thank you to everyone that came along to support the event in person or by listening to the broadcast.... Deanna and the team at ASDA, Crawley and the incredible committee: Clare Mills, Andy Brown, Paul Taylor-Burr, Mags Rahman, Amanda Foster, Ceara Mcerlean and of course Iqbal Khan supported by the amazing Tess Kitchen crew with Alys conducting the kitchen! Also special thanks to Craig and Ash - CRASH Music for the hours of prep together leading up to the event. James Tidy for being a good sport and helping wherever needed, Luke for staging & lights, Prime Response for keeping us safe, CB Events for the outdoor games and Emma Hollamby Photography for the perfect event pictures & reels capturing the special moments. Finally (but not least) my family for their support (and patience) over recent months plus my SUSY colleagues - Tony Williams, Jacq Inwood, Neil Munday and Geoff Rogers for putting up with me.  THANK YOU, Clive Hilton. Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    Tess' Tea Party '26

  8. Jul 2

    Alcohol As Social Glue Or Social Problem

    Send us Fan Mail Special Guest: Chelle Lucas Roundtable Featuring: Abigail Chapman-Miller (Labour), Jacq Inwood, Maureen Jones, Aga Es and Mags Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton. Alcohol is woven into British life so tightly that not drinking can feel like you’re breaking a rule. From champagne toasts and pub culture to “wine o’clock” on the sofa, we ask a question that’s easy to dodge and hard to answer: when does social drinking become a social problem? Recorded at the Red Lion and Cellar Room in Betchworth, Surrey for the upcoming Alcohol Awareness Week - we bring real viewpoints and lived experience to the table. Aga talks about quitting alcohol alongside smoking and not missing it, while Abi shares what it’s like growing up around alcoholism, the way addiction can “gaslight” you, and why people are often the last to see the problem. Chelle reflects on 90s ladette binge drinking and how pub life has shifted, and Maureen draws on years of publican experience to explain why home drinking, supermarket prices, and changing habits have reshaped the community role of the local. Jacq adds the perspective of loving people with alcohol dependency, and what that costs in health, relationships, and wider society. Mags shares her lived experience which emerged during covid and a personal story of how she regained control and how Thiamine helped. We also get practical: what “14 units a week” really means, why units are so easy to underestimate, and why stopping suddenly can be dangerous if you’re dependent. We talk stigma, alcohol-free drinks as a social bridge, and where help can start, from your GP to SMART support and Alcoholics Anonymous. If you’ve ever wondered whether your own drinking is “fine”, or felt awkward choosing not to drink, this conversation gives you language, context, and a few clear next steps. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave us a review so more people can find the podcast. Please click on 'Send a text' above & join our Facebook group to share your perspective and suggestions for future topics - Thank you for your interest! Clive.

    Alcohol As Social Glue Or Social Problem
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About

The 'Sussex & Surrey Soapbox' Podcast is a local roundtable plus special guests, exploring the issues that matter most. We tackle the topics that spark debate, challenge perspectives, and shape our communities — always with balance, openness, and respect. Our panel brings together a diverse range of voices to unpack complex and sometimes emotive subjects, offering thoughtful discussion, differing viewpoints, and factual insight. While we don’t shy away from the tough conversations, we believe they’re best had with curiosity, good humour, and a focus on what truly matters. Search 'Sussex & Surrey Soapbox' & join our Facebook group - a 'Village Hall' vibe with a community discussing topics from different perspectives and always with respect... keyboard warriors not welcome! You can catch soundbites from the latest episode on local community radio (SUSY 103.4, Meridian FM) - a shorter, accessible version of the podcast. The latest episode with the full conversation is available here and across all major platforms. We love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, come join us in our Facebook group, or leave a comment & subscribe via Spotify etc.... Thank you for your interest, Clive Hilton.  

Information

  • Creator
    Clive Hilton
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sussex & Surrey Soapbox
  • Show Website
    Sussex & Surrey Soapbox