IT is always one of the signs of spring, just like the cricket pitches across the borough being laid out. On Saturday, Thurrock Yacht Clubs boats were winched down into the River Thames for another busy spring and summer.
PEOPLE thinking about adoption can get essential information by calling in to the Culver Centre in Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon next Saturday (26 April).
Thurrock Council’s adoption team is hosting a drop-in session at the centre and people are invited to come along between 10am and 1pm.
THE new April to July 2014 ACE training programme is taking enrolments and offers FREE bitesize courses on a number of courses ranging from Computer skills and Basic emergency life support to Business support and Body Language skills. Programme Manager for ngage Jacqui Payne said: “We have some great courses in the latest ACE programme. In May, we have courses in Body Language, Dealing with conflict in the community, British Sign Language and many more. We also have a number of computer courses ranging from Absolute Beginners to Power Point and Excel.
The meeting was convened by West Tilbury W.I., President Joanne Phillips. The County Organiser Mrs Liz Buxton from Shenfield chaired the meeting.The Thurrock Scout and Guide Gang Show opened the meeting followed by magician Paul Clancy. A Scout and Guide Memorabilia table hosted by W.I. members showing their youthful memories before joining the Women's Institute Organisation.
WHILE people across the country were enjoying an extended break from work this weekend, staff at the region’s ambulance service were kept busy - responding to more than 10,000 calls over the four day Easter break. In total the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received 10,013 calls and took 5,146 people to hospital over the Bank Holiday period. In contrast, the same weekend in 2013 saw 9,872 emergency calls being taken by the Trust.
GROUP Scout leader, Richard Scruby, said, “With the Trust’s help we have managed to complete our climbing wall and use it safely with very little effort and less supervision than would be required without that piece of equipment. It has brought into use something that would have been used very little to something used quite regularly by many children now.”
THURROCK Council’s Trading Standards team is warning people to beware of cold-calling odd-job merchants this spring. People are being reminded to always be wary when someone they don’t know knocks at the door.
A FORMER Thurrock resident is cycling from Hartlepool to Thurrock in order to raise funds and awareness for HIV. Karen North is now a Sunderland University student, who has made Hartlepool her home but she originally hails from Thurrock.
TRADING Standards in Thurrock have been busy checking every horse in the borough has the correct paperwork – a horse passport – and is in good health.
On Wednesday, 30 April, the council’s team, working with Redwing and Remus horse sanctuaries and the RSPCA will be holding a passport/chipping clinic between 10am and 5pm on the site of the old St Chad’s School, in St Chad’s Road Tilbury.
SEVERAL months ago, Gary Borley, the owner of Headroom hair salon in Lodge Lane, Grays, decided to grow a beard. It was a combination between going to see our very own Scroobius Pip in concert and wanting to do something for Blu Hill. Blu Hill, suffers from cerebral palsy and his family hope to have the pioneering Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation which will ease his mobility problems, but this costs around £50,000.
THE location of the fire was Brentwood Road in Bulphan. The fire has also spread to two out-buildings measuring 20 metres by 30 metres. At 19:28hrs the incident commander reported that crews had the fire surrounded.
THE 12-week courses see participants carry out voluntary work in the community, raise funds, have a week’s residential course and secure a series of qualifications in Food and Hygiene, First Aid, and Health and Safety, as well as the Prince’s Trust national Certificate Level 1 Employment, Teamwork and Community Skills.
THE Bata War Memorial was restored to its former glory in the latter part of 2013 in time for the Remembrance Day services. This involved a complete deep clean, repointing of the granite blocks, new paving and steps as well as new granite plaques. These plaques show the names of 81 Bata employees who died during the Second World War.
The staff – who all work at the Civic Offices in Grays for Adecco and Serco – got terribly egg-cited when they were asked to scramble for cash in their pockets to shell out and donate chocolate eggs to Little Haven’s Children’s Hospice and Collins House, the council’s adult residential home in Corringham.
THE audience, many from the car industry, were pleased to hear Nick speak about the Ford strategy for bringing cars to market with a record ten being introduced in the next year. He also described the challenge of manufacturing an affordable green car for today’s price conscious consumer and discussed the thorny issue of how green an electric car was with recycling considerations. Colin Rate, Chairman of RatesFord also spoke at the event and easily demonstrated why RatesFord are such a successful Ford dealership not just locally but nationally as they place innovation and customer care at the heart of their business. It perhaps then unsurprising to learn they had won the Ford Chairman’s Award for customer service for 9 consecutive years and are one of only 5 dealerships in the UK to running the Quick Lane scheme using the latest equipment and technology available.
