OVRA organises events to bring enjoyment and interest to as wide a cross-section of our community as possible. They are an opportunity for people to meet each other, learn together and have fun. In a typical year we aim to organise several talks, one or two ticketed social events, two or three children’s trails and big community gatherings as appropriate.
Upcoming Events
Staying Healthy with the Onslow Experts
Monday 5th October 8pm All Saints Church
Top tips on healthy sleep, nutrition and exercise from 3 local experts. Everyone welcome, entry by donation.
Volunteers Needed for Advent Windows!
Could you create us an advent window?
We are looking for as many people as possible to join in the fun of this lovely Onslow tradition and to create an advent window. Last year we had 51 windows lighting up across the village, with more than 2 new windows lighting up each day between 1st – 24th December, and all of them lit up from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Eve. People from across Guildford were coming to visit them!
What’s involved:
1. Choose a window in your house which you don’t mind losing for a few days/weeks. Upstairs windows are often good because people can easily see them over the hedges, but any window which can be seen from the pavement will work.
2. Come up with a design. Back lit designs usually work best. There is no particular theme, just whatever you think will bring joy to onlookers. There are all sorts of different ways of creating designs. You can cut shapes out of a black paper or card background and then stick coloured tissue paper behind them like a stained glass window. You can use a tracing paper background and paint with inks and/or stick on black silhouettes or tissue paper shapes. You can create a background of tissue paper and then add in black silhouettes. Or you can do something quite unique! All the windows from the last 6 years can be seen in the Advent Window Gallery on this website, click here to see them.
3. You will be allocated a day on which you light up your window for the first time. You’re welcome to ask for a particular date when you volunteer to do a window. Then, from that date until December 31st you light up your window every day between 4-8pm. By far the easiest way to do this is to set up a lamp behind the window and plug it in with a timer switch attached. Once it’s set up you can then ignore it until you finally switch it off on New Year’s Eve. You’re welcome to keep the window lit up for longer than those hours, but we do ask people to try to have their window lit everyday after their light up day – it can be very disappointing when someone makes a special effort to come and see your window and it isn’t lit up.
4. At the beginning of December a map is produced that is emailed to OVRA members, posted on the Village Facebook Page, and posted on this website. The map shows where all the different windows can be found and the date they first light up. In addition we ask you to send us a photo of your window on the first day it is lit up. These photos are then added to the website gallery so that people who can’t get out to see all the windows can still enjoy them.
If you would like to take part please email us on info@ovra.org.uk no later than Sunday November 15th 2026. Everyone is welcome to take part!
Following the success of last year’s ‘Thank you Drinks Party’, everyone who takes part is invited to join us for drinks and snacks at 4pm on Sunday 3rd January.
Community Carol Singing
Friday 11th December, mulled wine from 5.45pm (bring your own mug), singing 6.15 – 6.45pm.
Under the twinkling lights outside the Village Hall – in the hall if wet.
2026 Summer Holiday Treasure Trail
2026 Treasure Trail A5 Booklet (print back to back short side fastening)
2026 Treasure Trail 8 sheets of A4
The Treasure Trails below are available to be downloaded and done at anytime. You are looking for reasonably permanent features in the village, so the trails are great fun whenever you do them, but you can no longer be entered into the prize draw.
Treasure Trail A5 Booklet (print double sided, short side fastening), fold and staple
See below for the links to the Treasure Trail
Treasure Trail Booklet. Print out back to back with short side fastening, fold and staple.