News in Thurrock

A LEADING Thurrock councillor has called on Basildon Hospital to review its visiting hours restrictions.

In line with many other hospitals across the country, Basildon restricts visiting to one person who must make an appointment due to continue covid rules.

East Thurrock United 0, Worthing 1

THERE was a deep sense of disappointment at Rookery Hill on Tuesday (8 March) where massive underdogs and relegation-haunted East Thurrock belied their lowly position and gave the Isthmian Premier leaders a real run for their money.

THURROCK rugby club Captain Charlie Russo will join an exclusive group of players to feature in 200 games for Tees when he leads out his team against Leighton Buzzard on Saturday (12 March) - fresh from an impressive victory last weekend against highly-rated Colchester.

Russo was one of an outstanding group of players who learned their trade at Willuam Edwards School under the guidance of coach, Martin Eyles. Indeed with team-mates Ben Timson, Ben Stanley, Aaron Burns, Reece Cunningham and Reece Collins, Chris Doran and - this team reached the quarter-finals of the England Sevens!

Thurrock 34, Colchester 19

DESPITE the insatiable work of Thurrock's incredible ground staff, Saturday's game against Colchester was transferred to the third pitch where coaches Dave Stevens and Sally Tuson elected to play with the strong wind in the first-half in order to build confidence and, hopefully a substantial lead.

PLANS to transfer Thurrock's Thameside Theatre to community ownership have been put on ice by the cash-strapped borough council until midsummer – and the authority has been warned that it still risks losing the much-loved facility if a deal can't be brokered.

Plans by the council to shut the Thameside as a cost-saving measure were first confirmed in a Nub News story last June.

THE demolition of three tower blocks in Grays and the creation of a news housing estate as part of an overall project that will cost around £73 million has been approved by senior borough councillors.

The state of the three tower blocks in Blackshots has been a source of concern for some time and finally, media pressure on behalf of residents in mould and damp blighted homes – led by Thurrock Nub News and its predecessor the Thurrock Independent – has led to a change of heart by the council, which had often previously played down the extent of the problem.

Despite objections from a community forum, senior Thurrock councillors have given the green light to the renaming of a road to honour a local soldier .

STAFF and visitors to the St Luke's charity shop in South Ockendon recently celebrated World Book Day.

The store's new manager Sarah-jane Ball and shop assistant Laura organised the event at the shop on Derry avenue in the town and was delighted that so many people turned up to join in the fun.

A GROUP of performers will be treading the boards at Grays' Thameside Theatre this week and the local community is being invited to pop along and enjoy the show.

'Funky Feet' is a class held every week for adults with disabilities and educational difficulties and they will be showcasing their skills on Friday, 11 March, at the Thameside.

THURROCK Council has continued to promote measures to protect borough residents from Covid-19 and has been working with the UK Health Security Agency's Surge Rapid Response Team (SRRT) to deliver messages encouraging local people to get vaccinated.

The council reports that the response team delivered nearly 16,000 leaflets to households in West Thurrock, South Stifford, South Chafford and Grays Riverside from Friday, 18 to Sunday, 27 February. Team members also knocked on more than 7,000 doors and had nearly 2,000 conversations, answering questions and responding to residents' concerns about the vaccine in lower-uptake communities.