THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

Along with other communities in Thurrock we will be celebrating the Queens’ Diamond Jublie on 3rd and 4th of June, 2012 at the Asian Resource Centre at 35 Clarence Road, Grays.

On the 3rd of June 2012 the celebrations will be from 6 to 8 pm and on the 4th of June, 2012 these will be from 2 to 6 pm. The committee members will decide the programme for these two days.

BOLLYWOOD DANCING CLASS

This group of young dancers are developing their dancing skills and enjoying the fun of Asian music by getting lessons from a professional trainer every Tuesday from 8 to 9 pm at the Grays School for the last five years.

These girls showed their performances at the Thurrock Cultural Festival and also at the Diwali Function this year. At present 24 young girls and boys aged 7 to 18 are attending these classes.

Up till now this group was well supported by the grants from the Thurrock Youth Cabinet and also by the Youth Service. Sadly there has been a reduction in grant to support this group. The parents have agreed to pay the rent for the hall and the Council’s Youth Service will fund the tuition fee for the Dancing Tutor for two lessons a month.

We are hoping to keep this youth facility going with this support by the end of this year. Anyone interested to join this class should contact DILJOT on 01375- 381486.

ASIAN MUSIC CLASS

This class is held every WEDNESDAY from 4 to 6 pm at the GRAYS School where children learn Asian

Musical instruments from a trained Music Teacher, Mr. R. Gulshan. If you would like your child to attend

this music class please contact; 01375-381486 and speak to Mr. Gulshan. The music lessons are subsidised

by the Association.

ADULT MUSIC CLASS

This class is held twice a month on Wednesdays from 11 to 1 pm at the T.A.A Resource Centre where

Adults learn to play various Asian musical instruments from a trained Music Teacher Mr. R. Singh.

Any Thurrock resident can join this class free of cost and enjoy the fun of Asian Music.

HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMME FOR ADULTS

With the help of South West PCT the Asian Association started this Healthy Living Programme in June, 2009 at the T.A.A Resource Centre. The Yoga Lessons are held every Saturday from 12 to 1 pm which are followed by discussion on various health issues. A small gym is set up for physical exercises for men and women which is available from 1 to 5 pm every day.

The development workers from the TRUST also organise various health sessions with groups of men and women. Please take advantage of this free facility and improve your life chances. A leaflet is enclosed to promote this class.

T.A.A. Resource Centre, 35 Clarence Road, Grays;

This Centre is very well used by local people for information and advice. Casie Cheong works hard to make it an attractive place for everyone to use it in a friendly way. A cup of coffee or tea is available to any visitor. There are a number of activities which go on in the Centre;

1. The Asian women’s group meets every Monday from 12 to 2 pm which is run by a development worker from the TRUST.

2. The Adult Music Class is held on alternate Wednesdays from 11 to 1 pm. The dates for this class are displayed at the Notice Board in the Centre. Anyone interested in Asian Music is welcome to join.

3. YOGA Class is held every Saturday from 12 to 1 pm. Anyone interested to improve their fitness and health are welcome to join. The lessons are given by a trained yoga teacher.

4. OLDER people’s group meets on every Tuesday afternoon for socialising and learning. Anyone over 50 are welcome to join this group. Please contact Casie at the Centre- 01375-404917 for further information.

5. Community Listeners (Volunteers) are happy to help anyone who has had any problem. They will help to direct them to specialist services available locally.

6. Library Books in various Asian Languages are available for reading at the Centre. These books have come from the local library.

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Come along and be part of your Community. Community Forums are truly community led, you will get to meet your local councillors and there will be a presentation about the digital switchover

Orchards Forum: Putting the community back into the community

Chief Inspector Richard Baxter and former assistant chief constable and now council public protection boss, Jim Nicolson sat stony faced as the Thurrock councillors ‘pulled rank” and voted through orders that they hoped would reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

The orders relate to the Flowers Estate in South Ockendon, Blackshots Fields in Grays and Delafield Park in Little Thurrock and relate to powers to take action against over-18′s, annoyance and the consumption of alcohol.

Senior police had told the councillors that there was no identifiable problem in the said areas and that there was sufficient legislation in place to take robust action.

Labour had also objected on the grounds of cost but sensing public mood they voted with the Tories who, having spoken to their residents, believed that there was a real need for such action.

Tory councillors’ Maney, Arnold and Gledhill made impassioned speeches backing the orders.

But one former police officer poured scorn on the idea. Security consultant Grant Campbell said: “If you go to magistrates courts, you will see hardly any public order offences coming before the bench.

“If and if anyone is arrested, they will be soon released without charge.”

NHS South West Essex announced at the end of 2010 it was undecided whether to build a new hospital in Hogg Lane, Grays, in the wake of £52million of cuts.

In May last year, the Thurrock Gazette reported that bosses were still in talks.

Margaret Hathaway, NHS South Essex’s commercial director, said if anything does go ahead, it will be on a smaller scale than originally proposed. She said: “Proposals for a development in Grays are still being considered.

“Recent funding constraints and structural change within the NHS mean that should the development go forward, the scale is likely to be smaller – no new timetable has yet been set.

“Ongoing discussions will look to ensure all buildings developed for NHS services are appropriate, affordable and in the right place.”

Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation paid £2 million for the land at the site, and it was originally hoped a £40 million facility would be open by April 2012. The site was also designed to house a new Royal Mail sorting office and Territorial Army cadets centre.

Both the new sorting office and the cadet centre have now been built and Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation has just submitted an application to demolish the old Royal Mail sorting office.

A spokesman for the corporation said: “We have built the cadet centre and new sorting office, but due to finance issues with the NHS we are no longer able to complete the final stage of the project.”

Two resident spokespersons, Ray and Sue Abbott spoke passionately against the development which would see the college transfer to Grays high street.

Mr Abbott asked the portfolio holder, cllr Andy Smith what consultation had taken place.

Cllr Smith said: “This had been part of the core strategy since 2008. It had been agreed then by the Conservative cabinet and then in January 2010.

“There had been meetings to discuss the strategy in public in that period as well.”

Residents were less than impressed with this reply.

Mr Abbott said: “You seem to think that this development in Grays will turn things around. The council have overseen the running down of Grays high street and we cannot see things changing.”

The group offers adults the chance to listen to a story and share their experience of it with others in the group. Such shared reading encourages a real appreciation and enjoyment of literature and does not depend on an individual’s knowledge of a book.

The main ethos of the group is that all viewpoints are valid – there is no right or wrong way to the enjoyment and understanding of what is being read.

The first session included a reading of an exciting short story by Doris Lessing called The Tunnel. It follows the relationship between a widowed mother and her son while on holiday abroad and a gruelling rite of passage he must go through as he experiences growing up.

The poem, The Writer, by Richard Wilbur closed the session and reactions to it were ‘very variable’, said one participant.

The next meeting is on Friday, 27 January at 10.30am and future sessions will be on the second and fourth Friday of the month at Grays Library.

For further information please contact, Rachel Gallehawk on 01375 413970.

A spokesperson for the college said: “Far from reducing courses in these areas, we will be enhancing and improving them. For example, we will have new and improved brick, engineering and carpentry workshops and will also be able to offer improved provision of courses to local employers.

“The proposed new build in Grays Town Centre will also be home to exciting new offers, such as a sustainable technologies centre. All these areas will include better facilities and with it a better skilled future local workforce.”

The DC granted approval for the  building consent to carry out a programme of works to the Grade II* listed building which will enable it to be used as a mixed use venue for leisure purposes.

The venue closed in 1991, has changed hands on a number of occasions but has also seen the interior suffer. Recently, the cinema organ was stripped of its pipes.

The building is owned by TSP Properties Ltd of Waltham Forest.

Speaking at the meeting, architectural historian, Eva Branscombe described the State Cinema as ‘One of the most important buildings of its type in the UK”

Members of the DC, which ceases to exist in April stressed the importance of moving this development on.

Much of the debate centred on the installation of a lift whilst the main body of the application, which requested the leisure facilities and a conference centre.

The night of presentations will be held at the Thameside Theatre Bar, on the third floor of the Thameside Complex, Orsett Road, Grays at 8pm on Friday 13th January.

You will have the opportunity to view the presented work by

Antonisia Schroder – Photographer
Jane Barry – Textile artist
Lata Upadhyaya – Visual artist
Mick Murphy – Visual artist

Each artist will be presenting their work for around 10 minutes and you will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The evening will also give the opportunity for the four artists to talk about their latest collaborative project, the inaugural Thurrock Art Trail, which will take place between the 2nd and 15th July 2012. The trail will be linked to the Essex Summer of Art 2012 and coincides with the Olympic torch travelling through the borough on Friday 6th July.

Please come along to the informal evening of presentations that feature four key artists from Thurrock. It is a great opportunity to view their work and discuss their art practice.

A packed house ‘enjoyed’ a host of local talent, which included BAFTA nominated actor Phil Davis (TVs Whitechapel and cult movie Quadrophenia (to name but two) re-kindling his South Ockendon roots with a ‘cameo’ appearance.

He was joined in this musical ‘extravaganza’ by former Grays Convent pupil, soprano soloist Francesca Fry, the wonderful ‘Mosaic Choir’ conducted by Daryl Barber, and the much acclaimed Aveley and Newham band, directed by Nigel Taken.

But probably the highlight of the evening was the appearance of the Deneholm School choir, and a very dramatic ‘candle lit’ entry to the arena with the popular ‘Deck the halls’. Afterall, they say Christmas is about children, and they certainly ‘up-lifted the hearts of all present in this wonderful old venue.

Of the evening, organiser Ray Smallcombe was elated. He said, “The concert was first launched last year, by the Rotary club of Grays Thurrock, to assist in bringing local talent to the attention of the local folk, whilst raising money for local and deserving causes. With the help of our sponsor, advertisers, and of course the great Thurrock public, we have been able to achieve a sum in the region of £6.000. We would like to thank everyone concerned for their help and support.”

Anyone who feels they missed out on a wonderful evening can get a head start by making a note of next years date, Friday 21st December 2012. We look forward to seeing you there.

A warm welcome awaits you at any of our services.

Christmas Eve Nativity Service

Saturday 24th December

4.00pm – Our very popular “Night before Christmas” service.
Young ones are encouraged to come dressed as shepherds and angels to join in with the tableau

“Midnight Service” Saturday 24th December
11.30pm – Holy Communion with carols

Christmas Day Sunday 25th December

8.00am – Traditional Holy Communion Service
10.00am – Holy Communion Service with carols for all ages

New Year’s Day Sunday 1st January

10.00am – Morning Worship service for all ages

Contact Revd Clive Russell for more details: russell-mail@tiscali.co.uk

Funnily enough, in the time that we were interviewing, we saw (what we perceived to be) at least two drug deals and one possible sale of illegal tobacco.

Tony is organising a petition as well as several other actions. We spoke to him about what motivated him to take action and whether he thinks it can succeed.

Concerned residents from Keir Hardie House in Blackshots contacted Councillors Ben Maney and Joy Redsell following a fire in an internal bin storage area on 27 November.

In response to their constituents’ concerns the two councillors sent an email to Cllr Smith, the Mayor and Chief Executive asking for a verbal statement to be given at the meeting of Full Council on the 01 December; a plea that went ignored.

Cllr Redsell said: “We heard from residents who were panicked by the fire at Keir Hardie House. They were amazed that there was no alarm system on individual floors and those people living higher up the tower block were oblivious to the fire below. Many families only knew there was a fire when other residents telephoned them and told them to get out. Some families have told us how they ran into the communal areas only to be met with what they described as thick smoke. We spent the whole of full council waiting for the portfolio holder to give a statement on this incident but were gobsmacked when the meeting closed with Cllr Smith firmly seated”.

Cllr Maney added “It was only ever our intention to allow Cllr Smith the opportunity to reassure our residents that their safety was paramount. The tragic fire two years ago at Laknal House in London is fresh in people’s minds and some public reassurance would have gone a long way.

Thankfully, the emergency services dealt swiftly with this incident but we must ensure that residents know what to do should there be a repeat of any such incident.

Clearly, some had no idea and Cllr Smith should be thoroughly ashamed of himself for not even having the decency to respond to the concerns of local residents”.

On the way to the ward they stopped at the Thurrock Asian Drop In Centre at 35 Clarence Road, Grays and had a brief conversation with the residents sitting there about the services provided by this small voluntary organisation. Casie Cheong informed that there were 6454 recorded visits to this Centre last year. The C.E.O praised the work of the Centre;

The next stop was the Grays Park where the Councillors talked about making a number of improvements which are needed for health and safety in this much used park by local residents; a new name sign, removal of old benches, imroving toilets, resurfacing the tennis court, improving flower beds and replacing the iron fence etc.

At the Community College we talked about the development of old empty buildings which have been vacant for a long time and being vandalised.

The councillors drew the attention of the CEO for relocating the scrap yard in front of the Thameside Schools for safety reasons. On the White Hall Lane we noticed the big issue of parking which could be sorted out by putting yellow lines on one side of the road near the children’s nursary.

Two other important issues were also discussed; the new building for Quarry Hill Primary School by using the vacant land near Orsett Road and the future development plans for the old buildings of Tree Tops School.
‘This was a very productive and useful visit’ said Cllr Gupta and Cllr Stone, ‘We are expecting some positive actions by the Council on all these issues faced by our residents’.