9 Epsom and Ewell stories that warmed our hearts in 2017

So here is the Epsom Guardian’s highlights of the most heart-warming stories we’ve covered this year:

Sampha wins the Mercury Prize and returns to old school

Mercury Prize-winning musician Sampha Sisay returned to his old school to open its new music pavilion and performing arts centre.

Sampha was captain of music at Ewell Castle School, where he studied A-level Music before leaving in 2007 to embark on his career in music.

During the visit on Friday, November 24, he told sixth form students not to give up on their dreams.

Princess Beatrice visits The Children's Trust charity for children with brain injury

Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice has made a second visit to The Children’s Trust, the UK’s leading charity for children with brain injury.

The Princess toured The Children's Trust’s national specialist centre in Tadworth on Friday, November 17, and met staff, volunteers, children and parents.

She was also presented with a small bouquet of flowers by George, who attends The Children’s Trust School.

Runner completes five marathons to prove the power of school meals

Karen Robinson, 44, who competed in the London Marathon a staggering 15 times, made a stand for the cause of school meals.

She said: "I love running so I decided to run around the country, running five marathons in five days to promote healthy eating to as many school children as possible."

Karen ran two half marathons per day and Epsom Primary and Nursery School was her first stop on day two, November 14.

She enjoyed a tasty meal, cooked by the onsite team from Surrey County Council Catering Team who cook for over 400 Epsom Primary School pupils every day.

Vision Epsom holds first 18+ night for young people with disabilities

An exclusive club night for young people with disabilities had its first event at a pub in Epsom.

Organiser Karen Sampson said she started the event after witnessing three young men with Autism and Tourette’s being turned away from nightclubs on the street.

She said: “As I enjoy going out I felt it was very sad they could not continue their evening dancing the night away, as we others take for granted.

Along with DJ Eddie, Mick and Rebecca Prescott from The Albion, Mrs Samson organised the very first Vision club night in the Albion’s ‘Stables’ function room on Friday, November 3.

Sri Raja Rajeswari Amman Hindu temple holds annual chariot festival as holy mother blesses Stoneleigh

The holy mother of a Hindu temple blessed the streets of Stoneleigh this weekend as part of an annual chariot festival.

Every year the Sri Raja Rajeswari Amman temple in Dell Lane holds the colourful parade, in which Hindu deities tour the area while devotees prostrate themselves in the road as an act of penance.

Newly re-elected MP for Epsom and Ewell Chris Grayling also attended on Sunday, June 11, and presented a cheque for £1,000 to Age Concern on behalf of the temple.

Mr Ragunathan, a trustee, told the Epsom Guardian: “We look after our own elderly people and our own community – it’s part of the spirit of our temple and culture.”

Ashtead woman loves her dog so much she has written a ‘doggy bucket list’ to make her last wishes come true

Having a steak dinner at a restaurant, riding in a fire engine, and eating a pie at a football match were all dreams on this poorly dog’s bucket list.

Willow, 12, whose tail was fused to her spine at birth, was diagnosed as having a tumour on her spine, the Epsom Guardian was told last May 5.

Fearing the worst her owner, Ana Newman, created a long list of activities for “cheeky girl” Willow to complete in her twilight years.

Swimmer finishes trilogy of Europe’s toughest swims to raise money in honour of dead friend

A swimmer finished a three-part open water challenge in style this weekend, finishing top British male in his age bracket at a swimming festival between Europe and Asia.

Mick Helps completed the last of three of Europe’s toughest swims on Sunday, July 23, when he crossed the 6.5-kilometre Bosphorus Straits – part of the continental boundary in north-western Turkey.

Mick, from Long Down Lane North, previously swam the eight-mile Gibraltar Straits between Europe and Africa in May 2016, before undertaking the English Channel (both directions) battling high winds that dragged him so far off course he swam more than 90 miles.

He said: “This has been a wonderful adventure inspired by a very sad event and I have been moved by the interest from far and wide.”

Firefighters rescue young horse at Courtlands Livery Stables 

A juvenile horse was saved by firefighters after it was temporarily unable to walk.

Firefighters used a hoist to pick up the three-year-old as it could no longer stand due to swollen lymph glands in its legs.

Still in the hoist, it was then helped to walk around the paddock so the swelling could subside.

Crews from Banstead and Esher fire stations, along with a specialist animal rescue unit from Painshill, spent about three hours helping the horse at Courtlands Livery Stables in Banstead on Sunday, February 19.

Doctor delivers five members of same family by Caesarean section at Epsom Hospital

‘Chance’ enabled a doctor to deliver five members of the same family by caesarean section at Epsom Hospital.

Dr Madhab Saha, a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology, has delivered about 2,000 babies in his 43-year career, but the five deliveries of the Anthony family from Epsom hold special significance for him.

In 1991, he delivered Georgia Anthony, followed by her twin siblings Courteney and Oliver two years later, and brother Frederick in 1995.

And he then delivered his fifth member of the Anthony family last December, when Georgia’s son Ronnie was born.

He said: “Being around on that day to help Georgia really was by chance! I didn’t know I had delivered five members of her family over two generations, something which when I think about it is quite amazing.

“I hope I am still around at Epsom to deliver another member of the Anthony family – I feel so connected to them all.”