Although the keen wit of the script itself is funny on its own, bringing it to life is a challenging task and one that Thurrock Courts Players are approaching with energy and enthusiasm.

Director Mike Jones is delighted with the way rehearsals are progressing and pays credit to his hard working cast. ” This play is wonderfully written and gives the cast every opportunity to portray their character to the limit. We are now starting to rehearse the scenes which include food which is always tricky. Audiences are going to love this play and I know that they will go home at the end of the show having enjoyed their evening”

The play takes us through the story of Deirdre Ollerenshaw and Mark Greenhalgh’s wedding. Deirdre Ollerenshaw is from a working class background whilst Mark’s father is a wealthy businessman and councillor. The interplay within the Ollerenshaw family is highly amusing even before the introduction of the Greenhalgh family further stirs things as both families feign amicability whilst bad-mouthing each other whilst backs are turned.

In particular Deidre?s brother Peter an unpublished poet and part time anarchist enjoys taunting his father an ex-military man who believes in discipline and respect for authority. The disastrous drunken exploits of Mark’s stag night and Peter, the anarchist’

Author Mike Harding

Tickets are already selling fast and when Courts Players produced this play many years ago it remains as one of the company’s best selling shows.
The show runs at the Thameside from Febuary 9th -11th 2012

Box Office is 08453005264

This is a shift in a different direction for the Tilbury songsmith but he assures fans that he will be back on track for his next album

Today though, was shooting dance sequences and with the help of extras and the skill of local producer James Kavanagh, the new video for the wonderful “This is Pop”is well underway.

Yourthurrock spent the day behind the scenes

Energy a community youth group are hosting the event and raising funds for Little Havens as well

Curtain up at 7.30 at its just £3 to get in.

Upminster and yourthurrock film maker Mike Jones enlisted the help of local historian Richard Moorey who presents the story. The film covers the story of the most influential families who lived in the area over the last six hundred years or so including the Esdailes, the Branfils and also features families from more modern times such as the Abrahams, the Aggiss’ and the Roomes.

Mike said “It a was a hugely enjoyable experience making the film and a great learning curve for me as, despite living in the town for most of my life, I didn’t realise how many treasures that you pass by each day without realising their past. In a little over an hour we’ve tried to cover more than one thousand years of history and show you some of the more interesting buildings – some still standing, some now gone. Upminster has a rich past and the people who have lived here over the centuries have fascinating stories to tell.”

Richard’s in depth knowledge includes the sad story of the Esdailes and the scandal involving the rector that rocked Victorian Upminster . The film will appeal to all ages and provoke the viewer into taking more notice of their local surroundings in future.

The DVD is available to buy from Swan Books and directly from www.undiscoveredupminster.com

This is not just playing bows and arrows ,it’s a serious sport and has a solid following. We spoke to Chairman Jeremy Clifford

Darren Driscoll, Blue watch Grays, said: “This is to become an annual memorial event where
we wish to raise even more money year on year.

A very big thank you goes out to FF Darren Banks who spent hours of his own time to organise the event along with the assistance of fellow members of Blue watch Grays.”

The winning team were the ‘DreamTeam’ made up partly of firefighters from Blue watch Grays and were presented with the Dawn Wright Memorial Shield.

That date is firmly set this year for the tenth but today was an extra. Over 200 people gathered at the Civic Hall to enjoy each others company, be provided with the latest information and help from local organisations.

There was even entertainment in the form of Thurrock Golden Voices and a Tai Chi demonstration which warmed up a few muscles

Lets Go Active have opened a indoor paintball arena which they have called Predator. Group Operations director Steve Wagstaff explained that they wanted to make the karting experience more of a family day out so they have increased the activities on site to include the paintball and a shooting gallery. Yt took our cameras along to witness a typical day at Lakeside karting

The day has a sports theme with various sports coaches giving classes throughout the day.

The day got off to a poor start as steady drizzle kept the crowds away in the morning but by lunchtime the skies were clearing and the crowds began to arrive.

More than 40 people with learning disabilities attended the event last Thursday (June 30th) which has been designed to reach their specific needs and fill a gap in the provision of education around safety for these members of the community.

The interactive event used role play alongside audience participation to supplement more traditional methods of communication to hit home with messages from fire safety to Bogus Callers.

Each attendee was be given a personal safety plan illustrated with pictorial information. These were completed throughout the day to take home and serve as a reminder about the key messages.

Speakers included Essex Police Community Safety and Crime Reduction Essex Fire and Rescue Community Safety, Thurrock Council Trading Standards and the Red Cross.

The event has been organised and planned in conjunction with people with learning disabilities and is a repeat of the first event held in March which successfully used this unique approach to targeting people with learning disabilities.

Director of Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions, Sunny Saini who co-chaired the meeting said: “We had really good feedback from the last event and are pleased that this will offer more customers with learning disabilities the skills to protect themselves and keep safe.”

At the moment, borrowers do not lose their borrowing privileges so long as they keep their fines at £4.99 or below.

From 1 August, this figure will be reduced to £2.99.

Cllr Lynn Worrall, Thurrock’s cabinet member for libraries, said: “If everyone who currently owes between £4.99 and £2.99 paid up, we would get about £1,500 in revenue.

“In these difficult times, every penny counts, but we know most people do not deliberately fail to return their books so we have not gone down the road of zero tolerance like some authorities, although we have to reduce the number of fines outstanding.”

Thurrock Libraries loan books for three weeks free of charge and they can be renewed — via the library pages on Thurrock Council’s website (www.thurrock.gov.uk), by telephone, or in person at any library in Thurrock, Essex or Southend — up to seven times, unless it has been requested by another user.

Fines are charged at 10p per day, but there are no fines on children’s books.

DVDs/CDs/talking books are charged on a weekly basis and the full charge becomes payable as soon as the item goes overdue.

Cllr Val Morris-Cook — the council’s portfolio holder for parking provision — made the proposals at Wednesday (6 July) evening’s meeting of the cabinet.

Members had agreed new parking charges in February, but July’s meeting was told there had been some errors in the initial report and corrections were needed to be agreed.

Cllr Morris-Cook said: “It’s not fun being here and admitting that mistakes were made, but on the other hand it is a pleasure to give some potential good news too.

“I can confirm categorically that residents parking permits will not go up again. In 2012/13 and 2013/14 they will remain the same. We have to protect householders living near railway stations so they can be sure of having somewhere to park their vehicle close to home.

“We can’t just keep hiking prices.”

On stop-to-shop, she said: “This is something aimed at boosting local businesses. On our on-street parking, I am asking for a paper to come to the next cabinet meeting for a 15-minute ‘amnesty’ so people who need to nip out and grab some quick shopping won’t have to pay.”

She added: “I’d like to be able to say people will be able to simply get a free 15 minute ticket, but I’m told that would cost far too much to implement, but our civil enforcement officers will be instructed to keep an eye on the cars to make sure nobody overstays their welcome.

“The new CCTV camera car will be ideal for monitoring this.”

She said: “This will cost in the region of £5,000 for the council, but I’m sure it will provide a major boost for local small businesses, especially in Grays where the meters in Clarence Road and Derby Road should be available for people to stop-and-shop for nothing.

“I want to say to small businesses: ‘We are on your side, we want to get people to shop locally’.”

Derek Redmond’s achievements are all the more remarkable because his Olympic career was dogged by serious injury. In fact, no less than 13 operations on his Achilles tendons and knees forced him to pull out of many major competitions. He is regarded in sporting circles as an extraordinary talent who was never given the opportunity to show what he was really capable of.

Derek, along with his father, will be forever remembered for the semi-finals of the Olympic Games in Barcelona, where he hobbled the last 250 metres, after a serious hamstring injury struck mid-race. The inspirational footage has been seen around the world and has become synonymous with the ideals of good sportsmanship and determination.

Away from the athletics track, Derek has played basketball for England and professionally for Birmingham Bullets. He has coached and advised international athletes at Birchfield Harriers and has played competitive rugby union for Coventry RFC, Stow RFC, playing alongside the likes of Will Carling, Brian Moore, Rory Underwood and Gavin Hastings in a number of highly publicised invitational games.

Derek has been a regular on television and radio, including commentating for Eurosport and making appearances on programmes as diverse as Noel’s House Party, Celebrity Gladiators and Equinox. He also presented a prime time basketball show for ITV. Derek has worked with UK Athletics as Director of Development for Sprints and Hurdles. His role involved identifying talented young athletes, inspiring them to commit to their discipline and providing them with the necessary facilities and support structure to enable them to progress from school level to junior international.

Derek draws on his vast experiences as an international sportsman to provide a fascinating and inspirational platform for his motivational speeches. In telling his story, Derek takes the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, but also explains the secrets of his success, both as an individual and within a team.