Sussex & Surrey Soapbox

Clive Hilton

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. SEND Reform: Can Every Child Truly Thrive?

    2d ago

    SEND Reform: Can Every Child Truly Thrive?

    Send us Fan Mail Special Guest: - Matt Brewin, Primary School Teacher in Haywards Heath and Chair of Mid Sussex Green Party - Paul Taylor-Burr, Community Volunteer and Parent of two children with ASD/ADHD  Roundtable Featuring: Abigail Chapman-Miller (Labour), Iqbal Khan (Tess' Kitchen) & James Tidy (Reform UK). Host: Clive Hilton.  The SEND system was built to protect vulnerable children, so why do so many parents across Sussex & Surrey describe it as a fight for basic understanding? We bring together a primary school teacher, councillors and parents with lived experience of ADHD and autism to talk plainly about what is happening on the ground: long waits, overstretched schools, and an EHCP process that can feel like a second full-time job. We break down the jargon so you can follow the real choices families face: SEND, EHCNAs, EHCPs, ISP/ILPs, and the proposed move towards Individual Support Plans in the 2026 SEND white paper. From the classroom, we hear how inclusion is meant to work and why it so often collapses under funding gaps, fewer teaching assistants and rising need. We also get into the uncomfortable questions people avoid, including whether diagnosis is being underused or overused, what labels do to a child’s confidence, and how to make “reasonable adjustments” without leaving children unprepared for the real world. The conversation goes beyond paperwork into what a fair education system should value. Are league tables and Ofsted driving better outcomes, or driving burnout and pushing schools away from flexibility? What would it take to make mainstream education genuinely accessible, and when is specialist provision the right answer? We finish with practical reflections for parents about coping, advocacy, and why some families feel pushed towards home education. If you care about SEND reform, UK education policy, neurodiversity, EHCP funding, and what schools in Sussex & Surrey need to actually deliver support, this one is for you. Subscribe for more local, balanced conversations, share this with a parent or teacher who needs it, and leave us a review with your take: what should change first? 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.

    1h 3m
  2. SPOT: St Catherine's Hospice Midnight Walk

    2d ago ·  Bonus

    SPOT: St Catherine's Hospice Midnight Walk

    Send us Fan Mail  SPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we step back from the debate to Spotlight a social initiative, local event or charity. Saturday 6th June and it's the Midnight Walk 2026! Orange T-shirts, glitter, LED tutus, and a range of routes from 2miles to 17miles - walking through the night in the memory of friends, family and for a hospice that depends on its community to keep end-of-life care personal, local, and available. From the start line at the St Catherine’s Hospice Midnight Walk, we soak up the atmosphere and meet the walkers who are out there for mums, dads, neighbours, and friends they still carry with them. We also sit down for an in depth conversation with Giles Tomsett, St Catherine’s Hospice CEO to get honest about what hospice care really is. Many people picture a building, but a huge amount of hospice support happens in people’s homes, working alongside GPs, district nurses, and social care to help someone die at home if that’s their wish. We talk about what a “good death” can mean in real life, why those final moments matter so much to families, and the surprising national context, including the fact that 44% of deaths in the UK still happen in a hospital. Then we get into the reality of hospice funding across Sussex & Surrey: how NHS funding contributes, why charity shops and events like the Midnight Walk are vital, and why regular monthly donations help hospices plan when costs rise. If you’ve ever wondered how to support palliative care in your area, this conversation gives clear, practical options and a powerful reason to act. If it moves you, please share this with someone local, subscribe so you don’t miss the deeper hospice care conversation we want to host next, and leave us a review. Who would you walk for? 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.

    19 min
  3. SPOT: Reigate Summer Festival

    2d ago ·  Bonus

    SPOT: Reigate Summer Festival

    Send us Fan Mail  SPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we step back from the debate to Spotlight a Charity or in this case a local arts festival - Reigate Summer Festival with Tim Glynne-Jones.  A rock set in the mouth of a tunnel, choirs in a church, an art exhibition, and a pop-up photo show inside an estate agent. Reigate Summer Festival is the kind of bold, creative and friendly idea that makes you look at your own town differently, and we’re joined by one of the organisers Tim Glynne-Jones to explain how it all comes together. We talk through the festival weekend (19 to 21 June) and why the team describe it as a mini Edinburgh in Surrey: music, dance, drama, poetry, literature, film, photography, fashion and more, much of it free to enjoy. Tim shares the longer story too, from launching New Music Nights in 2013 as a platform for original songwriters, to building New Music Fest, and then widening the collaboration so multiple arts organisations can help shape a true general arts festival right in the centre of Reigate. You’ll get a clear guide to the layout with four key venues and stages, plus a fast-growing fringe of 30+ locations across cafés, bars, shops and community spaces. We also cover the festival’s charity partners, how donations raised around £5,000 last year, and what’s new this year including an upcycled-friendly fashion show at Ivory Lounge, more photography, more art, and low-cost workshops that make it easy to learn something new with friends or kids. If you like local culture, live music, community arts, and practical ideas you can actually act on, press play, then subscribe, share the episode with a friend in Sussex or Surrey, and leave us a review with your favourite part of the festival. 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 min
  4. Knife Crime: Fear, Survival & The Ripple Effect

    May 31

    Knife Crime: Fear, Survival & The Ripple Effect

    Send us Fan Mail Special Guest: Keith Collyer, Crawley Combat Academy and Shariff Boolaky, Menshare Listening Group. Plus Roundtable Featuring: Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Abigail Chapman-Miller & Iqbal Khan. Host: Clive Hilton.  A knife doesn’t just threaten one person, it detonates consequences across families, schools, and whole streets. We sit down to talk honestly about knife crime, why the fear of being attacked pushes some young people to carry blades, and why places like Crawley feel the pressure so sharply. Along the way we challenge the comforting myths, including the idea that it is only “gang stuff” or that it can be solved with one slogan. Keith Collyer from Crawley Combat Academy explains what real-world knife awareness looks like: spotting pre-attack indicators, managing distance, moving with purpose, and escaping rather than trying to win a fight. We also hear personal stories of being stabbed, surviving threats, and the numb shock that hits even when you think you know what to do. The conversation keeps returning to trauma and the ripple effect, and why counselling and support are vital for victims and families who are left carrying it for years. We then zoom out to prevention: county lines, youth violence, easy access to kitchen knives, parenting awareness, and the debate around policing, stop and search, and deterrence. Abigail Chapman-Miller shares what it means when youth services disappear and you only qualify for help after you’ve been convicted, while Shariff Boolaky from Menshare Listening Group talks about education, responsibility, and creating routes out for young people who feel trapped by their environment.  If this topic matters to you, listen, share it with someone local, and subscribe for more community conversations. After you’ve listened, leave us a review and tell us what you think would make the biggest difference where you live. 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.

    38 min
  5. Clicks, Coffee & Community: The Future of the High Street

    May 24

    Clicks, Coffee & Community: The Future of the High Street

    Send us Fan Mail  Special Guests:  - Michelle Lucas, Only Dogs Ltd - an award winning Dog grooming business on Lingfield High Street. - Sami Ella Bristow, Blossoms Brunch & Coffee - a thriving community cafe in Godstone adept at navigating the challenges of rising costs & the sinkhole! Plus Roundtable Featuring: Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Georgie Lucas, Aga Es, Abigail Chapman-Miller, James Tidy & Magdalena Rahman. Host: Clive Hilton.  The high street is not dying because people do not care; it is changing because online convenience, rising costs and shifting habits make old retail models hard to sustain. We hear from local business owners and residents on what is really squeezing independents and what a more service-led, community high street could look like.  • rising costs for small businesses, from VAT and wages to commercial utilities and rates  • the impact of disruption and access, including road closures and parking pressure  • why taking on a shop lease feels like high-stakes risk versus reward  • how service businesses like grooming and hospitality keep footfall local  • the Amazon effect, price gaps, reviews and the lure of next day delivery  • fast fashion, returns culture, waste and sustainability on the high street  • what people miss most, from Woolworths to M&S, and what would bring them back  • realistic optimism around quality, community spirit and younger generations  Do follow us on Spotify. Let us know what you think of these episodes as well and future topics that we should cover. Tell us what do you think? Leave a comment below or click on send a text. 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.

    56 min
  6. SPOT: Find A Local Business (FALB)

    May 20 ·  Bonus

    SPOT: Find A Local Business (FALB)

    Send us Fan Mail  SPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we step back from the debate to Spotlight a Charity or in this case a local social initiative FALB (Find A Local Business) helping local independent businesses thrive. This SPOTlight compliments the Roundtable episode which lands Sunday 24 May, where we get into the High Street and challenges facing local businesses. We go to Maidenbower Park Community Club in Crawley to join the fortnightly Friday FALB networking event - a grassroots community meet-up that makes supporting local businesses feel easy, social, and genuinely useful. Along the way, we talk about the real challenges independent traders face, including the quiet loneliness of working from home, and why a simple coffee chat can unlock collaboration, referrals, and confidence. We also spotlight the below local businesses (please use the chapters to skip to relevant): - Emma Hollamby, Emma Hollamby Photography: www.emmahollambyphoto.co.uk - Michaela Bottner, Bloem Clinic: www.bloemclinic.co.uk - Katy Clarke, Green Serene Beauty Therapy and Tropic Skincare with Katy: www.tropicskincare.com/katyclarke - Tammy Hall, Stitched By T: @stitched_by_t - Zoe Mills, Zoe Mills Photography: www.zoemillsphotography.com - Amanda & Greger Young, Health Matters UK: www.healthmattersuk.co.uk (authors of 'Understanding Andropause' and 'The Men in Menopause') - Rasa Maria, French Tutor at www.interlangue.co.uk AND Seamstress @recouture To search for local businesses or to join as a member contact Nichola and the team at www.findalocalbusinesscrawley.co.uk 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.

    11 min
  7. Mental Health Awareness Week: When Staying Quiet Hurts

    May 17

    Mental Health Awareness Week: When Staying Quiet Hurts

    Send us Fan Mail Special Guest: Shariff Boolaky, Menshare Listening Group & BRING YOUR SH*T host.  Plus Roundtable Featuring: Maureen Jones, Micaela Leal, Abigail Chapman-Miller, James Tidy & Iqbal Khan. Host: Clive Hilton.  If your mental health has felt heavier in the last few years, you are not alone and you are not “too sensitive”. We sit down as the Sussex & Surrey Soapbox roundtable to talk about what anxiety, burnout, loneliness and depression look like on the ground across Sussex, Surrey and the wider UK, and why so many people feel isolated even with constant digital connection.  Shariff from Menshare Listening Group shares what he hears week after week in facilitated listening circles: the hidden impact of divorce, parental alienation, custody battles, addiction, overthinking and the quiet slide into emotional shutdown. We also talk directly about men’s mental health and suicide prevention, including what helps when someone looks like they might be at serious risk, and why simply crossing the threshold into a supportive room can be a turning point.  Psychotherapist Maureen Jones breaks down early warning signs you can actually spot, from sleep issues and feeling flat to irritability and repeated “escape” habits. We explore when counselling can help, when speaking to your GP matters, and why medication can sometimes be the breathing space people need to start recovery. Abigail shares lived experience of CPTSD and the complicated role of diagnosis culture, plus what changed when therapy finally became the right fit at the right time. We finish with practical coping tools that work for us: gratitude, nature, routine, discipline, creativity, faith, and reaching out before things spiral.  If any of this hits home, share the episode with someone who might need it, subscribe for more community conversations, and leave a review to help others find Sussex & Surrey Soapbox. 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.

    39 min
  8. SPOT: Creative Crawley - Art, Play & Reimagining Our Community

    May 13 ·  Bonus

    SPOT: Creative Crawley - Art, Play & Reimagining Our Community

    Send us Fan Mail  SPOT: a slightly different format to the Roundtable discussions where we step back from the debate to Spotlight a Social Initiative or in this case a Charity making a huge difference in our local community. Crawley doesn’t need to be “made cultural” from the outside, it needs the spotlight put on what’s already here and the space to build what’s next. We’re joined by Louise Blackwell, Creative Director at Creative Crawley, to talk about how public murals, playful festivals, and unexpected art in everyday places are changing how the town feels to live in. If you’ve walked past County Mall and spotted the changing window installations, picked up the Book of Crawley, or heard people rave about Around The Lake Festival, there’s a good chance you’ve already met Creative Crawley without realising it. We get into the practical work behind inclusive community arts: making events free or genuinely affordable, partnering with Arts Council England and Crawley Borough Council, and designing projects that welcome people with any level of confidence or experience. Louise shares the thinking behind using Crawley as a canvas, from resident-led ideas to collaborations that connect communities through making, including garment projects with women from Afghan and Ukrainian backgrounds. We also talk about what “access” really means, and why bringing culture closer to home can foster a positive, creative vibe to the town. Then we dive into what’s coming up: 1) Saturday 20 June: A youth open day by CCYS and Creative Crawley, exclusively for ages 12 to 18 to explore. 10-2pm at the Dormans Youth Arts Centre. 2) Thursday 11 June: A town-wide call to 'play' between midday and 2pm as a launch moment for a future National Festival of Play with Hemingway Design. From playing instruments and board games through to playing sport - Creative Crawley would love to recieve your pictures and clips. 3) Weekend 25 & 26 July: Crawley Fusion Mela, with Creative Crawley curating Saturday’s programme in County Mall.  Find them at @CreativeCrawley and www.creativecrawley.com, send in your play photos and clips, and tell us what you want Crawley to try next. If you enjoyed this, please subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review. Episode Picture Credit: Ian Greenland 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.

    17 min
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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
    2K
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sussex & Surrey Soapbox
  • Show Website
    Sussex & Surrey Soapbox