It’s the school holidays and we all know that there can be nothing more tiresome than dragging our children round the shops while we try to indulge in some retail therapy.

The consequences can be troublesome – tears, tantrums and high stress levels. Well, the key is in the name of the event – “family fun”.

It offers visitors the chance to peruse the store’s freshest arrivals without having to worry about keeping an eye on the kids. While the children enjoy cupcakes, face painting and soft drinks at this free event, you and your friends have the opportunity to browse the latest trends.

That’s right: This is a free event, so splash out on your favourite in-store items relatively guilt-free! As a result you and your children should leave feeling satisfied, as well as relaxed.

For those of you who don’t have children, don’t be thrown off by the name.

This event is open to everyone. What’s so great about Anthropologie is that it is about so much more than just fashion, so whatever your interests, whatever you’re looking for, there will be something for you.

For those of you interested in interior design, the store offers a wide range of furnishings as well as furniture, including: Bedding, curtains, candles, outdoor furniture, hardware and kitchen utensils.

However, if you are a little more fashion orientated, with all this wonderful summer sunshine we’ve been having, it would be a crime not to come along and check out the store’s novelty prints and bold colours.

The Guildford branch is located at 149 Guildford High Street, so what’s stopping you? Pop down on Saturday August 15 and check it out.

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Since the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published by the government in 2012, advice from barristers and all other planning policy advisors was that the Council had no option but to look at revising green belt boundaries to comply with the obligations of both national policy and guidance. This was also the position faced when the Council successfully challenged the South East Plan’s proposal to allocate green belt land for 2,000 houses north-east of Guildford. However, the government has now placed greater emphasis on sensitive constrained green belt locations, such as Guildford, where the objectively assessed housing need can now be weighed against a set of compelling constraints.

Based on the high number of consultation responses and the clear guidance from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, the current Draft Local Plan will be reassessed. All proposed development sites will now be re-evaluated against the constraints highlighted in the revised Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) planning practice guidance. We will then publish a new version of the Draft Local Plan for consultation next year.

Cllr Stephen Mansbridge, Leader of the Council, says, “I can state categorically that no site will come forward for development within the green belt, any Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) or area of flood risk unless it has been fully reassessed against the tests set out in the planning practice guidance as amended in October this year.”

DCLG’s revised guidance restates that objectively assessed housing needs must be met unless any adverse impacts of doing so would clearly outweigh the benefits. Harm to the green belt is identified as one of the tests. Locally there is an additional and significant constraint in the form of the congested road network.

As a result of the new DCLG guidance, the emerging Local Plan will be reassessed. The housing number set out in the revised Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) will be reassessed against the local constraints and the test of harm. Every potential development site will now be reassessed against the new national planning practice guidance test “to take account of constraints such as green belt, which indicate that development should be restricted and which may restrain the ability of an authority to meet its need.”

In explaining the fundamental change in approach that will now be used to amend the Draft Local Plan, Cllr Mansbridge added, “We have been given a clear steer from the government in its revised guidance for making a significant change in direction on our Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) and Draft Local Plan, which can now be fully reassessed against constraints. The housing number, land availability and each development site will be rigorously reassessed against the test of harm set out in the revised guidance.”

“I would like to add that this has been a difficult time for all concerned and inevitably the challenges in framing a policy compliant Draft Local Plan have caused immense worry and concern to many local people. However, we now have an alternative route map to review the extent to which we can meet the housing need identified in the SHMA. We are also reviewing the SHLAA as part of revising the Draft Local Plan and this should allay those fears. We must continue the current process towards having a sound Local Plan in 2016.”

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The research by the University of Surrey, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton, has found it is possible to change the electronic properties of amorphous chalcogenides, a glass material integral to data technologies such as CDs and DVDs. By using a technique called ion doping, the team of researchers have discovered a material that could use light to bring together different computing functions into one component, leading to all-optical systems.

Computers currently use electrons to transfer information and process applications. On the other hand, data sources such as the internet rely on optical systems; the transfer of information using light. Optical fibres are used to send information around the world at the speed of light, but these signals then have to be converted to electrical signals once they reach a computer, causing a significant slowdown in processing.

Dr Richard Curry, a project leader at the University of Surrey has said, “The challenge is to find a single material that can effectively use and control light to carry information around a computer. Much like how the web uses light to deliver information, we want to use light to both deliver and process computer data.”

“This has eluded researchers for decades, but we have now shown how a widely used glass can be manipulated to conduct negative electrons, as well as positive charges, creating what are known as ‘pn-junction’ devices. This should enable the material to act as a light source, a light guide and a light detector – something that can carry and interpret optical information. In doing so, this could transform the computers of tomorrow, allowing them to effectively process information at much faster speeds.”

The researchers expect that the results of this research will be integrated into computers within ten years. In the short term, the glass is already being developed and used in next-generation computer memory technology known as CRAM, which may ultimately be integrated with the advances reported.

Image sourced from: http://tinyurl.com/leggr6m

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Assessors recognised the town centre as a safe, vibrant area which offers a great night out for all and is thanks to a close partnership between the Council, Experience Guildford, Surrey Police, Guildford Pubwatch and local voluntary groups such as Guildford Street Angels.

The town was assessed on five categories; wellbeing, movement, policy, appeal and place. Assessors wanted to know how safety issues are addressed, how crowds are managed, how public transport works and how local data is collected and used. On top of this they assess the layout and design of the city centre and the general appeal of the town, such as the choice of bars, restaurants, shops and activities on offer.

Lead Councillor for Economic Development, Cllr Gordon Jackson has said, “This is excellent news for our town centre and for everyone who’s worked so hard to achieve the coveted Purple Flag. With over 100 places to eat, drink and socialise, Guildford town centre welcomes thousands of visitors every weekend to enjoy what the town has to offer. The mix of bars, restaurants, theatres and live music venues means there is something for everyone to enjoy on a night out in Guildford. We work closely with our partners, Surrey Police, Experience Guildford and Pubwatch to offer a safe environment for everyone to enjoy their night and get home safely.”

Stuart Craggs, Night-time Economy Manager at Experience Guildford, the town’s Business Improvement District says, “This is such a tremendous achievement for the town and one that key partners and individual businesses should be proud of. This award demonstrates how we can all work together to benefit the town as a whole and recognises the importance that Guildford’s night time economy has on the vibrancy of the borough. We’ve worked hard to do things right, make a difference and ensure that Guildford continues to be known not just as a great venue for a fun night out, but a safe one as well.”

The award adds to previous town centre initiatives that have focused on improving Guildford’s night time economy. Behave Or Be Banned was introduced by Experience Guildford, in partnership with Guildford Pubwatch and Surrey Police in 2013 and has resulted in a 25% reduction in reported alcohol related anti-social behaviour. The first Best Bar None awards were presented in February 2014 by Experience Guildford, recognising and rewarding venues that demonstrate best practice. Plus Experience Guildford’s funded taxi marshals have done much to reduce disturbances at taxi ranks during weekends.

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This year, three groups have received the Mayor’s Award after all attracted nominations from the local community. A special award was also given to Councillor Diana Lockyer-Nibbs, who raised the profile of accessible play areas in the borough with the Ability Whirl in Sutherland Memorial Park, Burpham.

Jenny Teagle is the Chairman of the Access Group for Guildford which was established in 1978 and represents a wide range of residents, whilst including elected councillors and officers from Guildford Borough Council and Surrey County Council.

She commented, “The Mayor’s Award recognises the good work that many local agencies, businesses and individuals undertake to better meet the needs of people with disabilities in Guildford, improving the quality of life for all members of our community. We hope that these awards will inspire others to contribute to future projects which create more opportunities and choice for everyone.”

Here is a rundown of the winners:

The Samson Centre – Services to the Community Award
The Samson Centre is a self-help group for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis. They provide a host of facilities and assistance for users of the group and are a much valued asset to the community.

Prospects Group/Open Hands – Services to the Community Award
This group is based in Christ Church, Guildford for adults with learning disabilities, carers and friends. Every Saturday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm they meet and provide an opportunity to chat with friends over tea and cake and enjoy some music and singing.

Shopmobility – Customer Services Award
Shopmobility is a scheme which lends manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to members of the public with limited mobility to shop and visit leisure and commercial facilities within the town and shopping centres.

The Mayor of Guildford, Cllr David Elms added, “The awards recognise the real difference local groups can make to people with disabilities. We hope the awards will inspire others to work towards creating a more accessible environment for us all.”

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The need for a visitor plan was highlighted when the Executive approved the Economic Strategy in July 2013. One of the key areas of the strategy is an aim to achieve a 50% increase in visitor expenditure in the borough by 2020.

The visitor sector is of prime importance – figures from 2012 show that it has generated £300 million to the local economy and has supported over 5,500 jobs (or 6.3% of all employment), showing it is one of our fastest growing sectors.

Guildford has an outstanding mix of retail, heritage, sporting and countryside assets as well as an active festival and arts culture. These factors, combined with the Council’s successful tourism team, who won a gold award for destination of the year 2014, provide the capacity to invest more in the sector going forward.

Cllr Gordon Jackson, Lead Councillor for Economic Development, has said, “The Visitor Strategy recognises that the tourism industry has changed over recent years, particularly with the development of new technology. Our new strategy celebrates the historic yet vibrant place that is Guildford.”

“We want to make the most of the opportunities offered to us to increase visitor numbers and the vital income and employment that it allows. We want to do this in a sustainable way. The visitor economy encompasses everything that our borough has to offer, from art and entertainment, to shopping and sport.”

Key priorities include:

• Improving the visitor experience
• Developing a Guildford visitor economy that is cost effective, long-lasting, potentially self-funding and beneficial to the borough
• Raising the profile of Guildford to local and international visitors
• Celebrating a Guildford festival culture by developing a coordinated programme of events
• Supporting the development of a heritage quarter

Cllr Jackson added, “I would like to thank all of those who worked with us to help develop the strategy and I hope that its adoption is the first step on a journey to ensure more people come to see the rich mix of places and things to do in Guildford.”

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The majority of today’s touchscreen devices, such as tablets and smartphones are made using indium tin oxide (ITO) which is both expensive and inflexible. Researchers from the University of Surrey and AMBER, the materials science centre based at Trinity College Dublin have now demonstrated how graphene-treated nanowires can be used to produce flexible touchscreens at a fraction of the current cost.

Using a simple, scalable and inexpensive method the researchers produced hybrid electrodes, the building blocks of touchscreen technology, from silver nanowires and graphene.

The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy.

Dr Alan Dalton from the University of Surrey said, “The growing market in devices such as wearable technology and bendable smart displays poses a challenge to manufacturers. They want to offer consumers flexible, touchscreen technology but at an affordable and realistic price. At the moment, this market is severely limited in the materials to hand, which are both very expensive to make and designed for rigid, flat devices.”

Dr Izabela Jurewicz, Lead author from the University of Surrey commented, “Our work has cut the amount of expensive nanowires required to build such touchscreens by more than fifty times as well as simplifying the production process. We achieved this using graphene, a material that can conduct electricity and interpret touch commands whilst still being transparent.”

Co-author, Professor Jonathan Coleman from AMBER, added, “This is a real alternative to ITO displays and could replace existing touchscreen technologies in electronic devices. Even though this material is cheaper and easier to produce, it does not compromise on performance. We are currently working with industrial partners to implement this research into future devices and it is clear that the benefits will soon be felt by manufacturers and consumers alike.”

The research benefitted from funding and collaboration with M-SOLV, a touchscreen manufacturer.

Image sourced from: http://tinyurl.com/p2lvg8j

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Cllr Jen Powell, Chairman of the Guildford in Bloom Committee, was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award for her hard work as Chairman since 1987 as seen in the picture at the top.

She commented, “Guildford’s award-winning town centre has helped us secure this Silver Gilt Award. We are extremely proud to have such enthusiastic community groups, local businesses and a dedicated team at Guildford Borough working so hard to help us achieve this success”.

The hanging baskets and floral displays around the town, as well as the well-designed and planted castle grounds and war memorial planting (pictured below) were among the highlights that led to the town receiving this award.

The judges were particularly captivated by the ‘impressive castle grounds’ and they made comments regarding Guildford like ‘[it is] a tidy and colourful town with lots of history and interest’ and ‘the link with community groups is very good with special mention to the Glade volunteers; a great initiative within the town’. Finally, they wanted to commend the time and dedication of Cllr Jen Powell by saying, ‘the efforts of Jen Powell must be commended for her time and hard work since 1987′.

The Guildford in Bloom initiative is part of Guildford Borough Council’s commitment to improving residents’ local surroundings, by focusing on issues that matter most to them such as a cleaner, safer and greener environment.

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