Farnham was buzzing with excitement on Saturday (28 September) when 120 ladies, dressed to the nines in purple dresses and iconic red hats descended upon the town for a day of shopping, dining, and celebration.

The Red Hat Bees of Bardwell from Suffolk is a chapter of the Red Hat Society which was formed in America in the late 1990s to promote, support and encourage women in pursuit of fun, friendship, freedom, fulfilment and fitness. The Society is now a global entity, and Farnham was delighted to welcome the Red Hat Bees of Bardwell, as well as ladies from as far away as Holland, Belgium and Guernsey, to the town for their annual gathering. 

In their quest for fun, the Red Hat Ladies made the most of their weekend visit to the area which included the day trip to Farnham. The Mayor of Farnham joined the ladies for breakfast and the Town Crier officially welcomed them to the town. Throughout the day, the Red Hat Ladies explored Farnham’s shopping scene as well as the town’s excellent cafes and restaurants.

The Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Brodie Mauluka says: “We were delighted to welcome the Red Hat Ladies to Farnham and having recently heard that the review website Muddy Stilettos has declared Farnham the best place to live in Surrey, we are sure the ladies are pleased they chose to visit here.”

Speaking after their visit, Founding Queen, Vivien Bewley, known as Queen VivvyV said: “We’ve had the most fabulous three days in Farnham and hope you enjoyed having us! I would highly encourage Farnham to create a chapter! We’d love to come back and help start one.”

A visit by the Red Hat Ladies is not only a celebration of friendship and fun, but it’s also a wonderful way to support local retailers. The event was expected to bring a boost to Farnham’s local businesses, with the Red Hat Ladies’ visit drawing attention to the town’s unique shops, boutiques, and eateries.