The Purfleet Marshes site had been a victim of graffiti tagging and as one of the borough’s most visited areas the council assisted the clear-up, without charge.

Terry Robinson, the RSPB’s office manager said: “It’s rare we get graffiti here and we are really grateful that the council were able to help us out on this occasion.

“Being a charity means we want every penny to go to protecting and conserving our local environment.

“The cost of cleaning would have been over £150 but that money will now be able to go toward the essential work we do at the reserve.”

However, residents have built up a nice sense of community at the community cafe in River Court.

YT went down there to speak to Demi and find out more.

The game was organised by Tom Hopkins, a Youth Worker with Thurrock Council who explained: “The match was part of a project which includes weekly Friday night football sessions for young people on the Garrison estate. The aim is to use football as an engagement tool to break down social barriers, provide young people with a positive activity and work at reducing anti social behaviour.

“The football match gave young people the chance to view the police officers in a different environment, whilst also providing the police with the opportunity to engage with local young people. The young people were a real credit to themselves and the community of Purfleet, they should be very proud of themselves”

Although the game was played in a competitive manner, both sides played in the correct spirit of the event. In the end youthfulness triumphed with the young people from Purfleet beating the Essex Police team 5-1.

The Inspector for West Thurrock, Leigh Norris who participated and helped organise the the match commented: “I believe that football is an avenue where we can find some common ground with the residents of the Garrison estate and I believe it is a great way to interact with young people.

“I hope this will be the start of a new level of interaction between Essex Police and the Garrison estate residents. Well done to all in involved in what I feel was a good step for the community”.

One of the young players added: “I enjoyed the game, the Old Bill were alright in the end, still a shame they can’t play football though! Definitely something that we would like to all do again!”

For more information on the Purfleet youth football project please contact Tom Hopkins on 01375 652562 or email thopkins@thurrock.gov.uk

Reports say the noise, which became noticeable shortly after 8pm on Tuesday night and continued for around an hour, could be heard as far east as Greenhithe and as far west as Crayford reports Newsshopper.co.uk

Dartford Council’s environmental health team confirmed they received 40 calls from confused residents enquiring as to what the unknown sound was.

Others called Kent Police, concerned about where the mystery noise was coming from.

News Shopper confirmed the sound was caused by emergency repair works to a privately-owned cargo jetty in Purfleet.

A Port of London Authority spokesman said: “The owners were carrying out repair works to a jetty that over-ran.”

It is believed the repairs to the Purfleet Deep Water Wharf, which included loud pile driving, were due to be finished by 6.30pm.

The project is part of the Purfleet Positive Woodland Management project which is aimed to help community links between the Purfleet Estates and Friends of Wood or Open space Groups. Future planting days will take place over the coming months and we want to encourage local residents and volunteers to get involved.

Annette Lewis, community worker for ngage said “Our planting days were great and we were overwhelmed with what was achieved. We had many volunteers and local residents take part, and it was lovely to see so many trees named after the people that they loved”.

Annette continued to say “We would like to thank the Garrison Community flat who were on hand making food and refreshments for the volunteers and also Thurrock Council and staff for their support they gave us at the events”.

The next planting day has been organised over the Easter break on Thursday 4th April, 10.30am – 1.30pm, in Tank Hill Road near the Mardyke Estate in Purfleet, and will include an Easter egg hunt. We would like to invite local residents and volunteers to come along and have some fun.

For full details of the Easter planting day or if need informaiotn on volunteering, go to the ngage website on www.ngagethurrock.org.uk or call 01375 389853.

The information on their website states:

“River levels are expected to start falling over the next 12 hours (0800 hrs on Dec 23rd) although levels will remain high. No significant rainfall is expected until the early hours of Monday morning.”

This is the second time this month that a flood warning has been issued for this area.

For further information call: Floodline on 0845 988 1188, select option 1 and enter Quickdial number 036345 to get more information.

Purfleet Primary School hosts the “One Thurrock” event on Thursday November 29th where community groups will join members of the school community to celebrate the differences of the area and borough as a whole.

Pupils will lead the celebrations in introducing and welcoming guests to the event. Entertainment will also be provided against the theme of “One Thurrock” with dance and poetry performances from the school.

The event follows national Anti-bullying Week (19th November) which is supported by Purfleet Primary School. The Tank Hill Road school created its own “Bullies Not Welcome” book of poetry earlier this year.

Purfleet Primary Head Teacher Debbie Henley said: “We are delighted to be hosting this event and show how as a school we can get along together no matter what our background or beliefs. We are central to the Purfleet community and we are proud of the work we have done especially targeting bullying. By celebrating diversity with children it makes them understand and accept the differences which give any area its own identity.”

As well as entertainment light refreshments will be provided along with mocktails mixed and served by pupils and staff from the school.

Community groups and organisations will provide information and advice to visitors ranging from crime prevention to loan sharks and details of how to report Hate Crime, help for people with learning disabilities and health information. Those attending include Essex Police, Thurrock Council teams from housing, trading standards and community protection, the children’s centre, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions and members of the Purfleet Forum.

The event runs from 3pm to 5pm and anyone is welcome to drop in.

Residents and volunteers joined ngage and council staff to help clear the estate of litter and encourage residents to clear unwanted items from their home or front or back gardens.

TRUP, the re-use partnership had mattresses and bikes donated that can be re used and Thurrock Council were on hand to take away extra rubbish generated from the day.

Residents were able to view plans on open space improvements as part of the Purfleet Positive Woodland Management project which is aimed to help community links between the Purfleet Estates and Friends of Wood or Open space Groups. It is envisaged that future planting days and events will take place over the coming months with local residents and volunteers.

Annette Lewis, community worker for ngage said “It was a great event and we were overwhelmed with what was achieved on the day. We had many volunteers and local residents take part, including a group of people from Sunnyside House who jointly won the Scavenger hunt with a family from the estate”

Annette continued to say “We would like to thank Diddy Skips, a local skip company for donating the 2 skips we used and Lynn from the Garrison Community flat who was on hand making food and refreshments for the volunteers throughout the day. We would also like to thank Thurrock Council and staff for their support they gave us at the event”.

If you would like to find out more about volunteering, visit the ngage website on www.ngagethurrock.org.uk or call 01375 389853.

These surgeries are part of the council’s aim to deliver a more personalised and flexible service for tenants as well as to lessen the amount of time housing staff spend in the office, so that more time can be spent with tenants on the estates and in their homes.

Each surgery will focus on a specific topic such as caretaking, grounds maintenance, support to live in your home, allocations and rent payment, to name a few.

Local estate officers will all be present to help and advise along with a specialist on each of the topics.

The first monthly surgery in Purfleet and Aveley will be on Wednesday 14 November at The Forum, High St, Aveley RM15 4BX from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and will focus on Anti-Social Behaviour.

Stanford and Corringham will have their first monthly surgery on 22 November at Impulse Leisure Centre, Springfield Road, SS17 7NB from 9.30am to 12.00 and will be on Repairs.

In addition to the monthly surgeries, there will also be regular drop-in weekly surgeries in Purfleet at the Community Flat, 32 River Court, Centurion Way, RM19 1ZY starting from Wednesdays 14 November 10am to 12.00pm

Stanford will be running similar drop-in fortnightly surgeries for over 55’s only at Odonaghue House, Thors Oak, Stanford-le-hope, Essex. SS17 7LBL, also starting Wednesday 14th November 2012 9.30 am to 11am.

The programme of monthly surgeries can be found on the council’s website www.thurrock.gov.uk/housing or by calling the Contact Centre (office hours Contact Centre (office hours) 01375 652652 (out of hours) 01375 372468

Posters with details of all the surgeries will also be displayed in local public spaces such as libraries, employment offices and public notice boards.

The event has been organised to support the CSV national ‘Make a difference day’ and will be the UK’s largest day of volunteering. It will be fun and rewarding to take part, and residents and volunteers will be joining tens of thousands of people giving their time in the UK’s biggest day of voluntary action.

Annette Lewis, community worker for ngage said “We will be having a general tidy up on the estate, including cutting over grown areas and litter picking. We have even organised a fun scavenger hunt for people to take part in and win prizes!!

“Diddy Skips, a local company has kindly donated 2 skips for the day to encourage residents to clear any unwanted house hold items they may have lying around, especially from their front or back garden. It is sure to be a really fun day for everyone, and we hope that people come along to help”

The Re-Use Partnership (TRUP) have agreed to collect any ‘re-useable’ unwanted items or furniture from households on the estate between 12 – 2pm.

Residents and volunteers are encouraged to meet at the Community Flat, River Court, Centurion Way at 10am, however the event will continue until 2pm so people can still turn up throughout the day to help out. Everyone is welcome and free refreshments will be supplied.

For more information or to volunteer on the day, contact ngage on 01375 389893, or visit the ngage website on www.ngagethurrock.org.uk.

The event is from 11am to 4pm.

It is a charity event in aid of their local Community Centre and includes:
Face Painting
Arts & Crafts
Lucky Dips & Tombola
Inflatable Slide
Table Top Sale
Zumba
Karate
Beauty Pamper Sessions
Kids Toy Swap – bring toys or cards to trade
Food & Refreshments

A sighting is rare enough but this was a juvenile.

Chafford ornithologist, David Darrell-Lambert went down to the site and captured the rare bird on film.

The small waterbird is according to twitchers a rare sight in the UK.

Funnily enough, twitchers from all over the UK have been on twitter to spread the word.

YT was contacted by their resident ornithologist, David Darrell-Lambert who is set to go down to the site and record the event.

Thurrock council’s housing and trading standards teams organised both events which were in direct response to tenant consultation. Many residents in these areas reported to the council that dog fouling on their estates was a major concern.

A number of dogs also participated in the free dog show organised by the Thurrock Dog Training Society with rosettes awarded for a number of categories. The Council’s Community Protection Officers were on hand to help and a resident volunteer from the Purfleet Garrison Community Association provided refreshments and made cakes.

Cllr Val Morris Cook, Portfolio Holder for Housing at Thurrock Council said “I would like to thank all our partners, The Dogs Trust, Gemini Kennels and Thurrock Dog Training Society for giving their time and expertise as well as all the freebies which made these events so successful.

I am sure that by rolling out more events which raise awareness of responsible dog ownership, we will begin to see an improvement on our estates so they can be cleaner and healthier for everyone to enjoy”